Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 18 June 2014
69. Deputy Sean Fleming asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the number of appointments to State boards under the remit of his Department in each year from 2011 to 2014; the number that were publicly advertised; the reason all appointments are not open to public competition; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26276/14]
View answerAs the Deputy is aware in 2011 the Government introduced new arrangements for the appointment of State board members. Under the new arrangements Departments now invite expressions of interest on their websites from the public in vacancies on the boards of bodies under their aegis. It is open to all members of the public regardless of gender, political affiliations or geographical location to apply for appointment to these vacancies.
I am satisfied that the new arrangements introduced by the Government in 2011 have significantly improved transparency in the making of appointments to State Boards compared with the making of appointments in previous years.
Since the formation of this Government 22 members have been nominated to State Boards under my remit. In the context of the sale of the National Lottery licence, I have considered it appropriate to re-appoint two of the Ministerial nominees to the An Post National Lottery Board; Mr. Micheál Ó Muircheartaigh has been re-appointed twice and Mr. Oliver Wilkinson has been re-appointed once. Consequently, recourse to advertising the positions publicly did not arise.
The Public Service Management (Recruitment and Appointments) Act, 2004 states that the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform (in consultation with Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government, the Minister for Health and the Minister for Justice and Equality) should appoint members of the Board of the Public Appointments Service.
The Public Appointments Service Board is meant to be representative of our client base. The majority of the board are therefore civil or public servants, nominated by the relevant Minister. There is also a union representative nominated by ICTU. The two external members were appointed by the Minister because of their expertise in strategic change and public service recruitment respectively.
In view of these statutory procedures for the appointment of members of the Boards, there is limited scope for me to use the Publicjobs.ie website. The following tables give a breakdown of positions filled on State boards under my remit since March 2011:
|
Board Name |
No. of Appointments made |
No. of Positions Advertised |
|
|
An Post National Lottery Board |
2011 |
0 |
0 |
|
- |
2012 |
2 |
- |
|
- |
2013 |
6 |
- |
|
Public Appointments Service Board |
2011 |
9 |
0 |
|
- |
2012 |
2 |
- |
|
- |
2013 |
3 |
- |
|
Total |
- |
22 |
0 |
