Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 2 October 2014
179. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Education and Skills if she will provide in tabular form the percentage of vacant positions on State boards under the aegis of her Department that were filled from the panels created through open application by the Public Appointments Service by year from 2011 to date in 2014. [37487/14]
View answerThe Deputy should note that Board appointments, while made by me as Minister, are not in all cases made at my sole discretion. Individuals may be nominated for appointment by various organisations as specified in the relevant statute of the body concerned.
The following table provides details in relation to the numbers of appointments to State boards under the aegis of my Department since 2011, including the number of appointments made from those who applied through the Public Appointments Service (PAS). Approximately 40% of the positions to which I can make direct appointments were filled through the appointment of PAS applicants.
The Deputy should further note that in making direct Ministerial appointments, a Minister is not necessarily confined to those who made such expressions of interest in order to ensure that all of those appointed had the relevant skills and competencies for the positions.
|
Name of Board |
Number of appointments made to state boards since 2011 |
Number of positions advertised over which the Minister can directly appoint [Note 1] |
Appointments made from members of the public who applied through the PAS process |
Year appointments made |
|||
|
2011 |
2012 |
2013 |
2014 |
||||
|
An Chomhairle um Oideachas Gaeltachta agus Gaelscolaíochta (COGG) |
2 |
0 |
0 |
2 |
|||
|
An Foras Áiseanna Saothair (FÁS) |
3 [Note 2] |
0 |
0 |
1 |
2 |
||
|
Grangegorman Development Agency (GDA) |
17 |
7 |
3 |
15 |
2 |
||
|
Higher Education Authority (HEA) |
13 |
10 |
2 |
1 |
9 |
1 |
2 |
|
Irish Research Council |
14 |
0 |
0 |
14 |
|||
|
Léargas |
12 |
9 |
0 |
10 |
2 |
||
|
National Centre for Guidance in Education (NCGE) |
12 |
1 |
0 |
12 |
|||
|
National Council for Curriculum & Assessment (NCCA) |
26 [Note 3] |
3 |
2 |
25 |
1 |
||
|
National Council for Special Education (NCSE) |
14 |
13 |
2 |
14 |
|||
|
Quality and Qualifications Ireland (QQI) |
11 |
8 |
3 |
10 |
1 |
||
|
Skillnets Ltd |
4 |
0 |
0 |
3 |
1 |
||
|
State Examinations Commission (SEC) |
5 |
5 |
2 |
5 |
|||
|
Teaching Council |
37 |
3 |
0 |
37 |
|||
|
An tSeirbhís Oideachais Leanúnaigh agus Scileanna (SOLAS) |
13 |
9 |
9 |
13 |
|||
|
Residential Institutions Statutory Fund (RISF) |
12 (Note 4) |
9 |
6 (Note 4) |
10 |
2 |
||
|
Residential Institution Redress Board (RIRB) |
See (Note 5) |
See (Note 5) |
See (Note 5) |
See (Note 5) |
|||
|
Residential Institute Review Committee (RIRC) |
See (Note 5) |
See (Note 5) |
See (Note 5) |
See (Note 5) |
|||
|
Education Finance Board (EFB) |
See (Note 5) |
See (Note 5) |
See (Note 5) |
See (Note 5) |
|
Notes: |
|
Note 1: Appointments, while made by the Minister, are not in all cases made at his sole discretion. Individuals may be nominated for appointment by various organisations as specified in the relevant statute of the body concerned. |
|
Note 2: Two interim appointments were made to the Board of Foras Áiseanna Saothair (FÁS) in January 2013 pending the dissolution of the body in October 2013. Accordingly, these vacancies were not published on PAS. Appointments to the Board of FÁS were made following consultation with the Minister for Social Protection and the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation. |
|
Note 3: The 25 member NCCA was appointed in 2012 with one resignee being replaced in November 2013. |
|
Note 4: In addition to the appointment of persons who applied to PAS a further two appointees applied directly to the Department. Following the resignation of two appointees in 2013, the consequential vacancies were filled by persons who had submitted expressions of interest to PAS (one vacancy was filled in 2013, the other in 2014). An appointee who had not submitted an expression of Interest to PAS resigned in 2014 and was replaced by a person who had not submitted an expression of interest to PAS |
|
Note 5: The existing members* of the Residential Institutions Redress Board (RIRB) and the Residential Institutions Review Committee (RIRC) have held office from at least 2008 and were most recently re-appointed earlier this year until 31st December 2014 or until such time as the bodies have completed their work, whichever is the sooner. The final membership of the Education Finance Board (EFB) were appointed in February 2012 for a one year term or until the Residential Institutions Statutory Fund (RISF) was established whichever was the earlier. The RISF was established and the EFB dissolved in March 2013. The 9 member Board consisted of a Chairperson, four former residents of institutions and four ordinary members. The views of survivor groups and other interested parties were sought on appointments of former resident members of the Board. *apart from the Chair of the RIRB who was appointed in 2008 until such time as the Board completes its functions. |
