A number of National Cultural Institutions and other bodies and agencies are funded from my Department's Vote Group and I wish to advise the Deputy that I do not regard them as quangos. Details of these bodies can be found on the Department's web-site at http://www.ahg.gov.ie/en/AboutUs/AgenciesBodiesunderDepartmentsAegis
In relation to the boards of these bodies, institutions and agencies funded from my Department's Vote Group, the total number of board members at the end of October was 159 and the total amount of fees payable in 2013 is €284,542.
As the Deputy will be aware, some members of boards are not entitled to claim fees due to the 'one salary' rule. In addition, some board members have waived their fee on a voluntary basis. In addition, further to a Government decision of October 31st, 2012, members of boards, committees or advisory councils at the following institutions will serve without a fee: National Gallery of Ireland, National Library of Ireland, National Museum of Ireland, National Archives of Ireland, Culture Ireland, Heritage Council, Placenames Commission. Pending the enactment of legislation to enshrine this new approach, I wrote to organisations in November 2012 to request they implement this approach voluntarily. The board members of the National Museum of Ireland have all waived their fees in this regard. It should also be noted that the board of Culture Ireland has been replaced with an Expert Advisory Committee and the board of the Placenames Commission has been replaced by the Placenames Committee – both Committees operate pro bono.
When appointing the new board of the Irish Film Board in January 2013, I reduced the Chairperson and ordinary board member fees by 100%. Each of the new members of the Irish Film Board serve without a fee. It should also be noted that the NAI, IMMA, Crawford Art Gallery and Chester Beatty Library and the ordinary board members of the National Concert Hall have operated without fees for a number of years.
For the sake of completeness, I should add that appointments to the boards of Foras na Gaeilge (16 members) and the Ulster-Scots Agency (8 members), being agencies of the North South Implementation Body, An Foras Teanga, are made by the North South Ministerial Council, arising from nominations on a 50:50 basis from each jurisdiction. Relevant board details, including fees, are published on the websites www.forasnagaeilge.ie and www.ulsterscotsagency.com
