Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 15 January 2014
587. Deputy Mary Lou McDonald asked the Minister for Justice and Equality if he will provide, in tabular form and year on year, the number of commercial and non-commercial State agency board positions under the aegis of his Department filled between March 2011 and December 2013; the number of these positions that were publicly advertised; and the number of female appointments. [1380/14]
View answerI am interpreting the Deputy’s question in a broad manner so as to provide the information which I believe she is seeking. The term State Boards is somewhat imprecise as it includes bodies with a wide and diverse range of functions many of which would not fall into the more commonly understood definition of Board which is a body with a governance oversight of an organisation. To be of assistance to the Deputy I have interpreted her question as embracing all bodies called Boards, irrespective of their functions, as well as other bodies with a governance remit whose title does not include the term “Board”.
Details of all appointments which occurred since March 2011 are as set out below along with details of those cases where expressions of interest were sought. Where applicable I have indicated the number of female appointees.
Children Detention Schools Board of Management
One appointment was made to the Children Detention Schools Board of Management. The position was not advertised as the appointment was made under Section 167(4)(a) of the Children Act, 2001 as amended, which requires at least one officer of the Minister. The person appointed was a civil servant.
The Deputy should note that responsibility for the Children Detention Schools Board of Management moved to the Department for Children and Youth Affairs on 1 January 2012.
Courts Service Board
The Courts Service Board has 17 members, it is chaired by the Chief Justice and includes eight other judges, the CEO of the Courts Service, persons nominated by the Law Society, Bar Council and ICTU, an elected staff representative and three persons nominated by the Minister for Justice. There have been 18 appointments of which three appointees were female. Of the 18 appointments, three were individuals nominated by myself including a civil servant from my Department.
Garda Síochána Arbitration Board
The Garda Síochána Arbitration Board is appointed by the Government and consists of a Chairperson, a member nominated by the representatives associations and a member nominated by the Government. The Chairperson is appointed on the nomination of the Ministers for Justice & Equality and Public Expenditure & Reform in agreement with the representative associations. Four appointments were made to the board.
Garda Síochána Complaints Board
Eight of the outgoing members were re-appointed as the Board, which has been replaced by the Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission, only had a few outstanding cases on hands at that time. The outstanding cases have now been finalised and the necessary steps to close the Board are now being put in place. The 9th appointee is a civil servant. Three of the appointees are female.
Judicial Appointments Advisory Board
Eight appointments were made to the Judicial Appointments Advisory Board. The Board consists of 10 members, it is chaired by the Chief Justice and includes three other judges, the Attorney General, persons nominated by the Law Society and Bar Council and three persons nominated by the Minister for Justice and Equality. Three of the appointments were individuals nominated by myself. Five of the appointees are female.
Legal Aid Board
Fifteen appointments were made to the Legal Aid Board, nine were civil or public servants. Seven appointees are female.
Mental Health (Criminal Law) Review Board
Four appointments were made to the Mental Health (Criminal Law) Review Board. Two of the appointees are female.
National Disability Authority (NDA)
One appointment was made to the board of the National Disability Authority (NDA). I made the appointment after seeking expressions of interest of which I received 12 applications. This appointment was from a public applicant.
Parole Board
There were ten appointments made to the Parole Board. Two appointees are female.
Private Security Appeal Board
The Government appointed four people on 3 April, 2012. The proposed Chairperson appeared before the Joint Committee on Justice, Equality and Defence. One appointee is female.
Private Security Authority (PSA)
Eleven appointments were made out of which seven positions were advertised as the remaining four positions, in accordance with the relevant legislation, are to be nominated representatives from my own Department, the Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation, An Garda Síochána and the PSA itself. Following my invitation for expressions of interest, a total of 29 applications were received. Six of the seven appointments made following public advertising were drawn for the applications received. Six appointees are female.
Property Registration Authority
Three appointments were made to the Property Registration Authority, of which, in accordance with the legislation, one is a nominee of the Law Society, one is a nominee of the Bar Council and the 3rd the elected Property Registration Authority staff representative. Two appointees are female.
Property Services Appeal Board
The Government made six appointments after seeking expressions of interest of which my Department received 41 applications. Those appointed were public applicants. The proposed Chairperson appeared before the Joint Committee on Justice, Equality and Defence. Three appointees are female.
Property Services Regulatory Authority
Eleven appointments were made to the Property Services Regulatory Authority (PSRA). I received 114 applications after seeking expressions of interest from members of the public. Nine of those appointed were public applicants, one is a civil servant and the Chairperson, who was a member of the Property Services Regulatory Authority Implementation Team, was appointed in order to provide continuity to the Authority which had operated on a non-statutory basis for a number of years. The proposed Chairperson appeared before the Joint Committee on Justice, Equality and Defence. Five appointees are female.
The Equality Authority and the Human Rights Commission
On 8 September 2011, the Government decided to merge the Human Rights Commission (HRC) and the Equality Authority to establish a new Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission (IHREC) to promote human rights and equality issues in a more efficient, effective and coherent way.
The 14 outgoing members of the Equality Authority (7 female, 7 male) accepted reappointment in September 2011 for a further term which concluded at the end of July 2012.
3 Commissioners (1 female, 2 male) were appointed by a Government Decision of the 20 December 2011 to the Human Rights Commission from 20 December 2011 and their term expired on the 31 May 2012.
The Working Group that I established to advise me on the practical issues in relation to the establishment of a new Commission in its Report of April 2012 recommended that an Independent Selection Panel be set up for the purpose of appointing new members. This is in line with a fundamental requirement of the Paris Principles that the members of the IHREC be independent and that the selection process be independent of Government.
In November 2012, advertisements inviting expressions of interest for the position of Chief Commissioner and of “ordinary” member appeared in the media. The independent panel forwarded its recommendation of 14 names in March 2013. While the persons recommended cannot be appointed to the IHREC in advance of the required legislation being enacted and commenced, the Government has appointed the 14 individuals (7 female, 7 male) as members of the Human Rights Commission and subsequently they will be appointed as members of the IHREC when the legislation is enacted, on a 3 year and 5 year basis to ensure that the terms of office of all members of the new Commission will not come to an end at the same time so as to preserve institutional continuity.
On 31 May 2013 I appointed 12 of their number to the Board of the Equality Authority (6 females, 6 males), under the Employment Equality Act 1998, as amended, on an interim basis of 3 years, but which will otherwise expire when the Bill to establish the IHREC is enacted and commenced and the two bodies are dissolved.
