Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 17 December 2015
653. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the number of appointments to State boards under the aegis of his Department and the number advertised on his Department’s website since March 2011; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46253/15]
View answerSince July 2011, my Department’s website has been used as the primary mechanism for seeking expressions of interest from suitably qualified and experienced persons, for consideration as members or chairpersons of the boards of State bodies under my Department’s aegis.
In line with a Government Decision last Autumn, a Revised Model for Ministerial Appointments to State Boards, brought forward by my colleague, the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform, has been put in place, operating through the Public Appointments Service, and will govern relevant future appointments. Under the revised model expressions of interest are now made directly by registering on Stateboards.ie. My Department’s website has been amended to refer any interested party to the stateboards.ie website.
Details of appointments made since 2011 are available on my Department’s website at www.environ.ie/en/Publications/CorporateServices/TransparencyData/FileDownLoad42058,en.pdf.
In the case of certain appointments to State Boards, statutory selection procedures must be followed or nominations must be sought from independent nominating panels before appointments are made by the Minister or the Government, as appropriate. In addition, in the case of a number of boards, not all of the appointments to the body concerned are made by the Minister, and in some situations appointments are made by the Minister with the consent of another Minister. Furthermore, appointments to An Bord Pleanála and to the Board of the Environmental Protection Agency are of a full-time executive nature and are governed by statutory processes.
