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Appointments to State Boards.

Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 3 February 2010

Wednesday, 3 February 2010

Questions (224)

George Lee

Question:

289 Deputy George Lee asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the names and addresses of all nominees to bodies or agencies under the remit of his Department that were appointed since 26 June 1997, detailing by whom they were appointed; when they were appointed; the amount paid by the Exchequer to each nominee each year from 1997 to 2009 broken down into income, expenses, overtime and any other relevant category; the money paid by his Department each year from 1997 to 2009 to cover expenses or incidentals related to the nominees, such as accommodation, travel and so on; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5663/10]

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Written answers

There are currently four bodies, which operate under the aegis of my Department: the Development Education Advisory Committee; the Government Emigrant Services Advisory Committee (previously known as Díon); the Fulbright Commission (The Board of the Ireland — United States Commission for Educational Exchange); and the Audit Committee of the Department of Foreign Affairs. Seven other bodies, which are no longer operating, operated during the period in question: The Hunger Task Force; the Advisory Board for Irish Aid (ABIA); The Irish Aid Advisory Committee (IAAC); the Agency for Personal Service Overseas (APSO); The Irish Refugee Agency; The National Committee for Development Education (NCDE), and The Cultural Relations Committee (CRC). Information on each of eleven bodies is provided below. In some instances it has not been possible to provide full details in relation to remuneration and expenses in the time provided as this would have required retrieving archived material.

TheDevelopment Education Advisory Committee (DEAC) was established by the Minister for Foreign Affairs in 2003 following the recommendations of the Ireland Aid Review Committee. Its purpose is to advise the Minister for Foreign Affairs and the Minister of State for Overseas Development on development education policy. All members are appointed by the Minister for Foreign Affairs and serve for a period of two years. All members serve in a voluntary capacity, and the committee is serviced by the Department of Foreign Affairs from the Department’s overall budget.

Year

Board Members

Total Board Expenses

2003-2004

Professor Peadar Cremin

Nil

Mr. Michael Doorly

Ms June Barry

Fr. PJ Gormley

Mr Hugh O’Neill, replaced in July 2003 by Dr. Robert Kirkpatrick

Ms Frances Leahy, replaced in August 2003 by Mr. Peter Johnson

Rev. Sahr Yambasu

Ms Alisa Keane

Ms Annette Honan, replaced in May 2003 by Ms. Morina O’Neill

2005-2007

Professor Peadar Cremin

59.00

Mr. Michael Doorly

Mr. Brendan Hester

Ms June Barry

Ms Moira Leydon

Dr. Robert Kirkpatrick

Mr. Peter Johnson

Mr. Liam Kilbride

Mr. David Joyce

Dr. Colm Regan

Ms Mary McGillicuddy

Mr. John Daly

Dr. David Irwin

Professor Sheelagh Drudy

Mr. Conor Sludds

Ms Mercy Ebun Peters

2007-2009

Professor Peadar Cremin

692.30

Ms Maria Barry, replaced in 2009 by Mr. John Smith

Mr. Patsy Toland

Ms Sarah Kelleher

Dr. Robert Kirkpatrick

Mr. Peter Johnson, replaced in 2009 by Ms. Cliona O’Keeffe

Mr. Eamon Kinch

Dr. Colm Regan

Mr. Stephen McCloskey

Dr. Su-Ming Khoo

Professor Sheelagh Drudy

The Government Emigrant Services Advisory Committee (ESAC) (previously known as the Díon Committee) was set up in 1984 to advise the Government on the welfare of the Irish community in Britain . The Committee’s primary role is to advise the Minister on the allocation of grants under the Emigrant Support Programme, which supports Irish community organisations abroad. In February 2003, the budgetary allocation for Emigrant Services was transferred from the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment to the Department of Foreign Affairs. Administration for the Committee is provided by our Embassy in London.

There are currently 12 members of the Committee, including two officials from the Embassy of Ireland in London. Current Committee members are all resident in Britain and can be contacted through the Embassy of Ireland in London. Committee members serve in a voluntary capacity and receive no payment for their time or expertise, although vouched travel and accommodation costs associated with attendance at meetings are met by the Department. All members of the Committee are appointed by the Minister for Foreign Affairs.

Year

Board Members

Total committee expenses

2003

Michael Forde (Irish World Heritage Centre, Manchester)

3,410

Dr Breda Gray (University of Limerick)

Dr. Theresa Joyce (Consultant Clinical Psychologist)

Jim O’Hara (Chair, Irish Youth Foundation (UK)

Catherine Quinn (Eastern Health Board, Dublin)

2004

Michael Forde

4,055

Dr. Breda Gray

Dr. Theresa Joyce

Jim O’Hara

Catherine Quinn

Seamus McGarry (Ireland Fund of Great Britain.)

2005

As 2004

2,113

2006

As 2004

4,497

2007

As 2004

4,237

2008

Tony Corcoran (Tyneside Irish Festival)

1,178

Tony Cusack (Irish Centre in Leicester)

Martin Donnelly (Credit Suisse)

Des Hurley (Irish Arts Foundation, Leeds)

Michael Forde

Dr. Theresa Joyce

Séamus McGarry

Breege McDaid (Irish Community Care Merseyside)

Councillor Sally Mulready (London Borough of Hackney)

Jim O’Hara (Irish Cultural Centre, Hammersmith)

2009

Tony Corcoran

1,020

Tony Cusack

Martin Donnelly

Des Hurley

Michael Forde

Breege McDaid

Séamus McGarry

Sally Mulready

Bridie Nugent (former Director of the Irish Welfare and Information Centre, Birmingham)

Jim O’Hara

The Fulbright Commission (The Board of the Ireland — United States Commission for Educational Exchange) was established under the Educational Exchange (Ireland and the United States of America), Act, 1991. The Commission finances study, research, teaching and other educational activities between Ireland and the United States of America. As Minister for Foreign Affairs, I have some statutory obligations in regard to this organisation, including the appointment of four members of the eight-member Commission, who serve in a voluntary capacity. The other four members are appointed by the US Government through their Embassy in Dublin. The Commission is financed jointly by the Irish and US Governments but it enjoys autonomy of management and administration in accordance with the Educational Exchange (Ireland and the United States of America) Act, 1991. Funding from my Department to the Commission is made from a grant-in-aid. The payment of expenses or other payments to board members is solely a matter for the Commission itself. A copy of the Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and of the audited accounts of the Ireland — United States Educational Fund are lodged with the both Houses of the Oireachtas annually.

Year

Board Members nominated by the Minister for Foreign Affairs

1996-98

Brian Farrell — Director, Institute of European Affairs

Ms. Ann Fuller — Administrator, Guardian Dublin International Piano Competition

Dr. Yvonne Scannell — Senior Lecturer, Law Dept., TCD

Gearóid Ó Tuathaigh — Professor of History, UCG

1998-00

Dr. Maurice Bric — History Department, UCD

Ms. Ann Fuller — Administrator, Guardian Dublin International Piano Competition

Mr. Mark Ryan — Andersen Consulting

Ms. Helena Carty

2000-02

Dr. Maurice Bric — History Department, UCD

Dr. Ruth Barrington — Chief Executive, Health Research Board

Dr. Don Thornhill — Higher Education Authority

Prof. Patrick Fottrell — Former President, NUI Galway

2002-04

Dr. Don Thornhill — Higher Education Authority

Prof. Patrick Fottrell — Former President, NUI Galway

Prof. Joyce O’Connor — President, National College of Ireland

Prof. Brian Hillery — Emeritus Professor, Graduate School of Business, UCD

2004-06

Dr. Don Thornhill — Higher Education Authority

Prof. Joyce O’Connor — President, National College of Ireland

Ms. Una Halligan — Government and Public Affairs Director, HP

2005-07

Dr. Tom Collins — Director, Dundalk Institute of Technology (DKIT)

2006-08

Ms. Una Halligan — Government and Public Affairs Director, HP

Mr. Tom Boland — CEO, Higher Education Authority

Ms. Katherine Keogh — Childhood Development Initiative, Tallaght

2007-09

Dr. Peter Connolly — former CEO Louth VEC

2008-10

Ms. Una Halligan — Government and Public Affairs Director, HP

Dr. Maurice Bric — History Department, UCD

Prof. Geraldine McCarthy — School of Nursing, UCC

2009-11

Prof. Timothy O’Brien — REMEDI, NUI Galway

TheAudit Committee of the Department of Foreign Affairs was established in November 2003 on foot of recommendations by the Mullarkey Report on strengthening governance arrangements in Government Departments and Offices. Members of the Audit Committee are wholly independent and drawn from outside the Department of Foreign Affairs. They are appointed by the Secretary General of the Department. All work is done on a voluntary basis. If a trip is made overseas in the course of their Committee work, any accommodation and miscellaneous expenses incurred by the Committee is reimbursed by Irish Aid.

Year

Board Members

2003-Nov

Fr. Gerard O’Connor

Mr. John S. Pittock

Professor John A. Jackson

2004

Fr. Gerard O’Connor

Mr. John S. Pittock

Professor John A. Jackson

2004-June

Ms. Valerie Little

2005

Fr. Gerard O’Connor

Mr. John S. Pittock

Ms. Valerie Little

Professor John A. Jackson

2006

Fr. Gerard O’Connor

Mr. John S. Pittock

Ms. Valerie Little

Professor John A. Jackson

2006-June

Mr. Michael Scott

2007

Fr. Gerard O’Connor

Mr. John S. Pittock

Professsor John A. Jackson

Ms. Valerie Little

Mr. Michael Scott

2008

Fr. Gerard O’Connor

Mr. John S. Pittock

Ms. Valerie Little

Mr. Michael Scott

2008- Jan

Dr.Richard Boyle

Mr. Philip Furlong

2009

Fr. Gerard O’Connor

Mr. John S. Pittock

Mr. Michael Scott

Dr.Richard Boyle

Mr. Philip Furlong

2009-July

Ms. Maura Quinn

The following organisations have been abolished or replaced by other bodies.

The Government'sHunger Task Force was appointed in 2007 following a recommendation in the 2006 White Paper on Irish Aid . The aim of the Hunger Task Force was to identify the additional, appropriate and effective contributions that Ireland can make to international efforts to reduce hunger. The Task Force had 16 members and held its first meeting on 14 September 2007. All members of the Task Force were appointed by the Minister for Foreign Affairs and received payment and expenses as outlined below. It reported in September 2008, outlining a number of key actions which Ireland can take to give practical leadership internationally on the attainment of the Millennium Development Goal to halve the proportion of people suffering from hunger by 2015.

Six further people were also members of the Hunger Task Force but received no direct payment for their involvement. Some of their costs were directly covered by the Department as part of the overall expenses of the Hunger Task Force. They were Mr Paul Hewson (Bono), Ms Josette Sheeran, Ms Sheila Sisulu, Mr. Brendan McMahon and Mr Aidan O'Driscoll. The last two are serving civil servants.

Year

Board Members

Payment

Expenses

Other payment

2007

Kevin Farrell

Nil

3,190

Nil

Jeffery Sachs

Nil

1,919

Nil

Nancy Aburi

Nil

5,673

Nil

Joe Walsh

Nil

129

Nil

Michael Gibney

Nil

264

Nil

Other Expenses of HTF in 2007

Nil

14,812

Nil

2008

Nancy Aburi

10,000

8,718

Nil

Kevin Farrell

10,000

5,286

Nil

Michael Gibney

10,000

4,984

Nil

Lawrence Haddad

10,000

1,012

Nil

Justin Kilcullen

10,000

8,753

Nil

Joe Walsh

10,000

1,533

Nil

Tom Arnold

10,000

Nil

Nil

Jeffery Sachs

10,000

Nil

Nil

Dr Pamela Anderson

10,000

10,292

Nil

Other Expenses of HTF in 2008

Nil

53,160

73,931**

2009

Denis Lucey*

10,000

8,334

Nil

*Payment relates to 2008; ** Includes publication related costs.

TheAdvisory Board for Irish Aid (ABIA), which replaced the Irish Aid Advisory Committee (IAAC), was established in August 2002 to provide general oversight and advice to the Minister for Foreign Affairs and the Minister of State for Overseas Development on the strategic direction of the Government’s programme of assistance to developing countries. All members of the Board were appointed by the Minister for Foreign Affairs. The principal expenditure of the Advisory Board related to commissioning research, but also covered a number of incidental expenses. The Board ceased to operate on October 31st 2008 when the Board’s term ended.

Year

Board Members

2002 – 2005

Mr. Desmond O’Malley

Mr. Chris Flood

Mr. David Andrews

Mr. David Begg

Ms. Sally O’Neill

Ms. Lorraine Sweeney

Mr. Larry O’ Loughlin

Mr. Howard Dalzell

Fr. Gerard O’Connor

Mr. Jerry Liston

Ms. Morina O’Neill

Mr. Padraig McManus

2005 – 2008

Mr. Denis Cahalane

Dr. Abdullahi El-Tom

Ms. Detta Fanning

Ms. Fumi Anike Guiwa-Byrne

Mr. Eamonn Meehan

Ms. Anne O’Mahony

Ms. Maura Quinn

TheIrish Aid Advisory Committee (IAAC) was in existence between 1993 and 2002. Its purpose was to provide advice to the Minister for Foreign Affairs on the strategic direction of the Government’s programme of assistance to developing countries. The IAAC had 14 Committee members. All members of the Board were appointed by the Minister for Foreign Affairs.

TheAgency for Personal Service Overseas (APSO) was established in 1973 as a semi-state body operating under the aegis of the Department of Foreign Affairs, with a Board of Directors appointed by the Minister for Foreign Affairs. All members of the Board served in a voluntary capacity and received no remuneration other than vouched expenses with the exception of the Chairperson who in 2002 was Acting Chief Executive and received a salary of €22,277. The following is a list of the Board of Directors of APSO as at 31 December for each of the years from 1997 until its integration into the Department of Foreign Affairs on 1 January 2004 which also includes the annual Board costs.

Name

Relevant Qualifications/Background

31 December 1997

Total Board expenses €1,301

Mr. Howard Dalzell

Development Non-Governmental Organisation

Ms. Mairéad Hayes

Human Resources, Aer Lingus

Dr. Anthony Clare

Medical Director, St. Patrick’s Hospital

Mr. Paul Cullen

Civil Servant

Ms. Philomena Murnaghan

Civil Servant

Fr. Des McGillicuddy

Justice and Development Officer, Irish Missionary Union

Ms. Anne Connolly

Management Consultant

Ms. June Carr

Staff Nominee

Mr. Robin Hanan

Development Non-Governmental Organisation

Ms. Mary Sweeney

Development Non-Governmental Organisation

Ms. Maeve Healy

Financial Sector

31 December 1998

Total annual Board expenses: €4,711

Mr. Howard. Dalzell

Development Non-Governmental Organisation

Ms. Mairéad Hayes

Human Resources, Aer Lingus

Dr. Anthony Clare

Medical Director, St. Patrick’s Hospital

Mr. Paul Cullen

Civil Servant

Ms. Philomena. Murnaghan

Civil Servant

Fr. Des McGillicuddy

Justice and Development Officer, Irish Missionary Union

Ms. Anne Connolly

Management Consultant

Ms. June Carr

Staff Nominee

Mr. Robin Hanan

Development Non-Governmental Organisation

Ms. Mary Sweeney

Development Non-Governmental Organisation

Ms. Maeve Healy

Financial Sector

31 December 1999

Total annual Board expenses: €6,557

Mr. Howard Dalzell

Development Non-Governmental Organisation

Ms. Mairéad Hayes

Human Resources, Aer Lingus

Mr. Aidan Eames

Solicitor

Mr. Paul Cullen

Civil Servant

Ms. Philomena Murnaghan

Civil Servant

Fr. Des McGillicuddy

Justice and Development Officer, Irish Missionary Union

Ms. Anne Connolly

Management Consultant

Ms. June Carr

Staff Nominee

Mr. Robin Hanan

Development Non-Governmental Organisation

Ms. Mary Sweeney

Development Non-Governmental Organisation

Ms. Maeve Healy

Financial Sector

31 December 2000

Total annual Board expenses: €2,744

Ms. Mairéad. Hayes

Human Resources, Aer Lingus

Mr. Aidan. Eames

Solicitor

Fr. Des McGillicuddy

Justice and Development Officer, Irish Missionary Union

Mr. Paul Cullen

Civil Servant

Ms. Dónal MacDonald

Staff Nominee

Mr. Robin Hanan

Development Non-Governmental Organisation

Ms. Mary Sweeney

Development Non-Governmental Organisation

Mr. Brendan Rogers

Civil Servant

Mr. Mick Kiely

Development Non-Governmental Organisation

Ms. Maeve Healy

Financial Sector

Mr. Seán Burke

Accountant

31 December 2001

Total annual Board expenses: €12,462

Ms. Mairéad Hayes

Human Resources, Aer Lingus

Mr. Aidan Eames

Solicitor

Mr. Brendan Rogers

Civil Servant

Mr. Dónal MacDonald

Staff Nominee

Mr. Robin Hanan

Development Non-Governmental Organisation

Ms. Mary Sweeney

Development Non-Governmental Organisation

Mr. Mick Kiely

Development Non-Governmental Organisation

Mr. Seán Burke

Accountant

Sr. Teresa Walsh

Missionary (MSHR)

Sr. Margaret Quinn

Missionary (MMM)

Ms. Maeve Healy

Financial Sector

31 December 2002

Total annual Board expenses: €23,895

Mr. Aidan Eames

Solicitor

Mr. Brendan Rogers

Civil Servant

Mr. Dónal MacDonald

Staff Nominee

Ms. Mary Sweeney

Development Non-Governmental Organisation

Mr. Mick Kiely

Development Non-Governmental Organisation

Mr. Sean Burke

Accountant

Sr. Teresa Walsh

Missionary (MSHR)

Sr. Margaret Quinn

Missionary (MMM)

Mr. Joseph O’Hara

Lecturer

Mr. John Murphy

Financial Consultant

31 December 2003

Total annual Board expenses: €2,849

Mr. Aidan Eames

Solicitor

Mr. Pat Bourne

Civil Servant

Ms. Catherine Boylan

Staff Nominee

Ms. Mary Sweeney

Development Non-Governmental Organisation

Mr. Mick Kiely

Development Non-Governmental Organisation

Mr. Seán Burke

Accountant

Sr. Teresa Walsh

Missionary (MSHR)

Sr. Margaret Quinn

Missionary (MMM)

Mr. Joseph O’Hara

Lecturer

Mr. John Murphy

Financial Consultant

Mr. Aidan O’Connor

Engineer

The Irish Refugee Agency was created in 1991 to assist with the integration of Vietnamese refugees in Ireland and it subsequently assisted with Bosnian and Kosovar refugees. In 2001, following the recommendations in the report of the Interdepartmental Group on the Integration of Refugees in Ireland, the Government decided to replace the existing structures for dealing with refugees (including the Refugee Agency) with the Reception and Integration Agency (RIA) under the aegis of the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform. In 2001, the year of it’s abolition, the Irish Refugee Agency had 13 board members.

TheNational Committee for Development Education (NCDE) was established in 1994. In December 2002 the NCDE was abolished and its functions were assumed by Irish Aid in line with the recommendations of the Ireland Aid Review Committee.

The Cultural Relations Committee (CRC) was established in 1949 under the aegis of the then Department of External Affairs and was transferred from the Department of Foreign Affairs to the Department of Arts, Sport and Tourism in 2002. The CRC has been succeeded by Culture Ireland which was established under the aegis of the Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism in 2005.

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