Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 17 December 2015
467. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Health the number of appointments to State boards under the aegis of his Department and the number of appointments that have been advertised on his Department's website since March 2011; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46256/15]
View answerThe nomination and appointment process for boards of bodies under the aegis of my Department is set out in legislation. In line with Government Decision S180/20/10/1617 of 2014 and Guidelines set out by the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform relating to the advertising for expressions of interest in vacancies on State Boards, my Department, in conjunction with the Public Appointments Service currently advertises for board vacancies as they arise, where I, as Minister for Health, have nominating rights under relevant legislation. The notices about forthcoming vacancies are advertised on the stateboards.ie website and are also placed on my Department's website.
There have been over 700 appointments made under the aegis of my Department since March 2011, of which 360 positions were filled through the advertising process. There are some exceptions to the advertising process. For example, the members of the Hepatitis C Compensation Tribunal are appointed by the Minister, on the advice of the Attorney General, as these members carry out a very specific role in relation to assessing the quantum of awards under the Hepatitis C Compensation Tribunal Act. In 2012 and 2013 in the case of some hospital boards, e.g. Beaumont and St James’s, the term of existing members was extended as a prudent provisional measure, to allow time for appropriate competencies required in members of these boards to be set out, given the Health Reform Programme and its impact on hospital configuration. Appointments of the new board members were subsequently advertised.
Many appointments have been made on the nomination of other bodies as specified in legislation, or were re-appointments. It should be noted that there were no advertising campaigns in 2011, but 34 appointments were made where the Minister had nominating rights. It should also be noted that there are several campaigns ongoing with appointments pending.
