Appointments to State Boards

Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 16 July 2015

Thursday, 16 July 2015

Questions (837)

Lucinda Creighton

Question:

837. Deputy Lucinda Creighton asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he is responsible for all board appointments where such power to appoint persons to State boards is vested in him by statute; if any politically appointed State employee outside of his Department is involved in decision-making concerning such appointments, in particular, if, during the lifetime of the Government, a named person (details supplied) has had any influence over any appointments made by him; if he or officials from his Department have corresponded with that person regarding the composition of and appointments to State boards to which he has statutory power to make appointments; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30117/15]

Written answers

Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport

There are a number of appointments to State Boards that require the approval of Government or where an appointee is nominated by a third party (e.g. Worker Directors). Building on the Government's Decision of 2011 which established an open process operated by the Public Appointment Service, a revised model for Ministerial appointments to State Boards is now in operation. Since 2011, board vacancies have been filled on the basis of expressions of interest received on the stateboards.ie portal. Recent reforms complement the current system with a more structured approach requiring that all appointments to vacancies on State Boards must be advertised openly on the State Boards portal www.stateboards.ie operated by the Public Appointments Service (PAS); meet specific and detailed criteria determined by the relevant Minister as necessary for the effective performance of the relevant role; and be processed by way of a transparent assessment system designed and implemented by the independent Public Appointments Service (PAS) to support the relevant Minister in making appointments to State Boards under his/her remit.

In all cases I, as Minister, make the relevant appointments and, where necessary, bring nominations to Government for approval.