Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 18 June 2013
482. Deputy Niall Collins asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the number of appointments made to State boards under her Department's remit since March 2011; the number of positions that have been advertised; the number of applications to the boards; the number of appointments to the boards that were drawn from the applications; the current number of vacancies on each board; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [28971/13]
View answerI would like to inform the Deputy there are four agencies which are funded by the Exchequer through my Department's Vote. These are the Adoption Authority of Ireland (AAI); the Family Support Agency (FSA); the National Educational Welfare Board (NEWB) and the Ombudsman for Children. Gaisce also comes under the remit of my Department. With effect from 1 January 2012, I have taken responsibility for the Children Detention Schools as provided in Part 10 of the Children Act 2001. Apart from the Ombudsman for Children's Office and Gaisce who do not have a board, I am responsible for all Board of Management appointments. Since I took office in March 2011, I have directly appointed 35 persons to the Boards of Management under the aegis of my Department.
As the Deputy may be aware, in line with the Government decision of April 2011, new arrangements were put in place for the making of appointments to State Boards and bodies. Following this Government Decision, on my Department's website I have invited expressions of interest from persons interested in being appointed to the boards of State Bodies and Agencies operating under the Department's aegis. The notice indicates the vacancies in the boards of the respective bodies. My officials acknowledge all expressions of interest received and maintain a database of those expressions. My Department’s website is monitored and updated on a regular basis to reflect the number of vacancies as they arise.
The appointment of members to each of these bodies is not a competency-based process. The governing legislation in relation to each of these bodies sets out the composition of the Board either in terms of their qualifications and experience, or the Government Minister or body that is responsible for nominating representatives on them or who must be consulted in the nomination process.
For example, the Adoption Act, 2010 requires that the Adoption Authority of Ireland consists of 7 members – the chairperson must be a Judge, barrister or solicitor and the ordinary members must include a social worker with experience in adoption practice, a social worker with research expertise in child welfare, child protection or both, a barrister or solicitor with experience in the practice of law in relation to families and children, a medical practitioner and a person with appropriate training in psychology.
On the other hand, the Education Welfare Act, 2000 provides that the Minister shall make appointments to the National Educational Welfare Board (NEWB) from among persons who in the opinion of the Minister have a special interest or expertise in matters relating to the functions of the Board.
The Family Support Agency Act, 2001 provides that the Minister may appoint individuals to the Board who have a special interest or expertise in matters relating to the functions of the Agency. Between March 2011 and 31st May 2013, 9 of the FSA Board members appointed by me had submitted an expression of interest. Two other members appointed include an Officer of the Minister and a staff representative the Family Support Agency as prescribed under the Act.
The Children Act, 2001 outlines the different Ministers and organisations that nominate persons to serve on the board of management of the children detention schools. I can confirm that since March 2011, there have been 163 expressions of interest submitted in respect of vacancies on the Boards of Management under the aegis of my Department. Of this total, 90 expressions of interest were received via my Department’s website and 73 were recently received via the Public Appointments Service (PAS) who ran a competition for the filling of vacancies for the new Board of Management of the FSA. I am currently considering all of these expressions of interest and I intend to appoint the Board of Management in the near future. Pending the legal establishment of the Child and Family Agency (CFA), the newly appointed Board of the FSA will, in addition to its existing functions, provide oversight and direction to the organisational preparations which are underway for the CFA.
The expressions of interest received by the Department were submitted by a mixture of academics, professionals and other members of the public. Board appointments are not necessarily confined to those who make these expressions of interest but the process ensures that all those appointed have the relevant qualifications for the positions in question.
In making my decisions on appointments to Boards, subject to the governing legislation, I consider the most suitable persons for the positions available with due regard to the body or agency in question and its particular responsibilities and I seek to ensure that the appropriate mix of skills and experience is in place to achieve the best result.
I can confirm that there is currently once vacancy on the Board of Management of the AAI, 12 vacancies for the FSA, no vacancies for the NEWB and one vacancy for the Children Detention Schools.
