Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 2 October 2014
97. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation if he will provide in tabular form the percentage of vacant positions on State boards under the aegis of his Department that were filled from the panels created through open application by the Public Appointments Service by year from 2011 to date in 2014. [37492/14]
View answerSince coming to Office in March 2011, I have made 42 appointments to the Boards of Agencies under my Department’s remit within my discretion. Appointments and reappointments were also allocated under legislation to Department Representatives, social partners, nominees of other Ministers, nominees of prescribed bodies and appointments on an Ex Officio basis and were not appropriate, therefore, for public advertisement.
In making appointments to State Boards, I am guided in the first instance by the requirement to ensure the appointment of appropriately skilled persons, and since coming to office, have actively sought the assistance of the Public Appointments Service (PAS) in this regard. Since my appointment, 30 appointments to State Boards (ie 71% of those within my discretion) have resulted from Expressions of Interest submitted to PAS.
I am satisfied that the involvement of the PAS in this process has assisted me in appointing appropriately skilled and experienced people for participation on State Boards, and I will continue to rely on PAS assistance in respect of future appointments.
The percentage of vacant positions on State boards under the aegis of my Department that were filled within my discretion in conjunction with the Public Appointments Service since my appointment in 2011 to date in 2014 is as follows:
|
2011 |
2012 |
2013 |
2014 |
|
|
Forfás (1) |
Nil |
N/A |
N/A |
N/A |
|
IDA |
Nil |
0% |
Nil |
0% |
|
EI |
Nil |
66% |
100% |
50% |
|
NSAI |
Nil |
100% |
100% |
66% |
|
SFI |
Nil |
Nil |
100% |
Nil |
|
HSA |
Nil |
Nil |
Nil |
100% |
|
IAASA |
Nil |
100% |
Nil |
Nil |
|
PIAB |
Nil |
100% |
Nil |
100% |
|
InterTrade Ireland |
25% |
Nil |
33% |
Nil |
|
NCA (2) |
Nil |
100% |
100% |
Nil |
|
Shannon Development (3) |
Nil |
Nil |
Nil |
Nil |
|
Labour Relations Commission (4) |
See footnote below |
|||
|
Totals |
1 |
11 |
10 |
8 |
1 In 2012, following the decision to integrate Forfás into my Department, I reduced the numbers serving on the Forfás Board from 13 to 6 - comprising the Board Chairman, DJEI Secretary General and 4 ex officio appointments, (CEOs of Forfás IDA and EI and the Director General of SFI). Forfás was dissolved on 1 August 2014.
2 The National Consumer Agency will no longer exist from the 31 October 2014, as it is being merged with the Competition Authority to create the Competition and Consumer Protection Commission, which will not itself have a Board.
3 Shannon Development Board has been merged with the Shannon Airport Authority and no longer has its own Board.
4 The Board of the Labour Relations Commission is being renewed on a year by year basis, pending the creation of the Workplace Relations Commission.
