Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 18 September 2012
893. Deputy Gerald Nash asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of appointments that have been made to positions available on the boards of semi-State companies and statutory agencies following public advertisement; if she will provide details of the names of persons who have been appointed under this initiative and the agencies on which they now sit; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40038/12]
View answerThe three statutory bodies under the aegis of the Department of Social Protection are the Citizens Information Board, the Pensions Board and the Social Welfare Tribunal. In addition, the Office of the Pensions Ombudsman (which does not have a board) comes under the remit of the Department.
Citizens Information Board
I have made two appointments to the Citizens Information Board since coming into office.
Mr. Eugene McErlean was appointed with effect from 7 September 2011. This followed a public request for expressions of interest from suitably qualified and experienced individuals announced in July 2011. On foot of this request, 172 applications were received and his appointment was made following a rigorous selection process in accordance with the legislation governing appointments to such a board.
On 1 November 2011, I appointed Ms. Fiona Ward as the Department’s representative on the board. That vacancy, of course, was not publically advertised.
There are currently three vacancies on the Citizens Information Board, one of which is a staff representative of the Board.
Pensions Board
I have made no appointments to the Pensions Board since coming into office. There are currently two vacancies on the Pensions Board. No decision has been made on advertising these vacancies, pending the completion of the Critical Review of the amalgamation of the regulatory function of the Pensions Board with the Financial Regulator, under the Public Service Reform programme.
Social Welfare Tribunal
While the Social Welfare Tribunal is neither a semi-State company nor a statutory agency, it is a statutory body operating under the aegis of the Department of Social Protection and therefore the information provided below may be of interest to the Deputy. The Tribunal consists of a Chairperson and four ordinary members, two on the nomination of Irish Congress of Trade Unions (ICTU) and two nominated by Irish Business and Employers’ Confederation (IBEC). The Tribunal deals with entitlement to Jobseeker's Benefit or Jobseeker's Allowance in cases where a claim is refused because it is considered to be connected to a trade dispute. For that reason, the Tribunal is made up of individuals deemed to be representative of employers and employees, nominated by ICTU and IBEC, and accordingly vacancies are not advertised. One of the ICTU members of the Tribunal resigned in 2011 and on the nomination of ICTU, a replacement member, Ms. Chris Rowland, was appointed commencing 24 October 2011.
