Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 1 July 2015
301. Deputy Mary Lou McDonald asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the annual saving to her Department and the bodies under its aegis if all the fees for all State agency, non-commercial State-sponsored bodies and commercial semi-State board members were reduced by 25%; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [26972/15]
View answerThe total amount paid in fees in 2014 to members of State boards under my Department’s aegis was €200,207. On that basis, if fees were reduced by 25% it would potentially result in a saving in the order of €50,000. However, I am advised that expenditure on board fees is expected to fall in 2015, mainly because some board members who could claim fees have waived their fee on a voluntary basis. Consequently, the savings that could potentially arise from any given percentage reduction in fees may be less than the level indicated above.
In the interest of completeness, it should be noted that appointments to the boards of Foras na Gaeilge and the Ulster-Scots Agency, as agencies of the North South Implementation Body, are made by the North South Ministerial Council. Details of fees in relation to these boards may be found on the websites www.forasnagaeilge.ie and www.ulsterscotsagency.com.
