Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 2 October 2014
210. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht 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. [37483/14]
View answer213. Deputy Seán Ó Fearghaíl asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht to set out the selection process for appointments to boards of statutory bodies under her aegis; the process under which this selection is carried out; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37591/14]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 210 and 213 together.
The processes involved in selecting candidates for vacancies on the bodies and agencies funded from my Department's Vote Group is set out as follows. In the case of certain bodies, board appointments may be made by the bodies themselves or on an ex-officio basis.
In 2012, my Department used the Public Appointments Service to identify suitable candidates for appointment to the board of Údarás na Gaeltachta, in line with section 6(2) of the Údarás na Gaeltachta Act 1979 (as amended by section 16(1) of the Gaeltacht Act 2012). I am advised that 4 out of the 7 the Ministerial appointees to Údarás na Gaeltachta were appointed from the panel created on foot of the publicly advertised process carried out by the Public Appointments Service. The remaining 5 members were appointed on foot of nominations by county councils that have a Gaeltacht area within their jurisdiction.
In the case of the boards of Foras na Gaeilge and the Ulster-Scots Agency, being agencies of the North-South Implementation Body – An Foras Teanga, appointments are made by the North South Ministerial Council arising from nominations on a 50:50 basis from each jurisdiction.
In addition to these processes, board appointments are also made following a publicly advertised process, under which expressions of interest are sought from the public by advertising on my Department's website. Finally, candidates may also be appointed who, in the view of the Minister of the day, have a contribution to make and who may be willing to serve.
The Government has recently agreed on a Revised Model for Ministerial Appointments to State Boards which complements the current system with a more structured approach to ensure that vacancies on State Boards are populated in a transparent way by the high-calibre personnel required to successfully perform their mandates. My officials are now engaged in the preparations for implementing this revised model and I look forward to the guidelines which Minister Howlin will present in the coming weeks in that regard.
