Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 6 July 2016
270. Deputy Catherine Martin asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the number of appointments she has made to State boards since the move to the Public Appointments Service two years ago, to date; the names of those appointed and the relevant position on each board; the names of those persons on the short list; the date when the short list was provided to her; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [20061/16]
View answerI am responsible for the appointment of members to the boards of the Adoption Authority of Ireland, the Child and Family Agency (Tusla), Gaisce and the Board of Management for the Children Detention Schools.
Since I assumed office in May this year I have made 13 appointments to the new Board of Management for the Children Detention Schools with effect from 1st June 2016. The Board consists of the chairperson and 12 Ordinary members.
I appointed Professor Ursula Kilkelly, School of Law, University College Cork as Chairperson. Professor Kilkelly is the Dean of the School of Law, University College Cork. She is recognised as a leading expert in issues relating to the detention of children and has published widely on youth justice issues.
Of the 12 Ordinary members, the following 7 were appointed on foot of the requirements of section 167 of the Children Act 2001, as follows:
- Mr Jim Gibson - interim Chief Operations Officer of Tusla, the Child and Family Agency was nominated by the Minister for Health;
- Ms Fionnuala Anderson - an Education Officer in Dublin and Dun Laoghaire Education and Training Board was nominated by the Minister for Education and Skills;
- Ms Sinead O’Herlihy and Mr Fiachra Barrett are members of staff on the Oberstown campus who were nominated for appointment on foot of a local balloting process by Oberstown staff in December 2015;
- Mr Pat Rooney and Ms Elizabeth Howard are local community residents in the vicinity of the Oberstown campus and were nominated by Lusk Community Council, a local Community Group in November 2015;
- Mr Dan Kelleher is a Principal Officer in the Irish Youth Justice Service, Department of Children and Youth Affairs.
I appointed the remaining 5 members of the board on foot of the publication of a notice for expressions of interest on the website www.stateboards.ie in January 2016, under the 2014 Guidelines for appointments to State Boards. I made the following 5 appointments from a short-list of 15 suitable candidates notified to my Department by the Public Appointments Service on 18th of February 2016:
- Mr Charles Irwin is an Accountant with the Professional Development Service for Teachers, Dublin
- Mr Diego Gallagher is a solicitor with Byrne Wallace Solicitors, Dublin
- Ms Emer Woodfull is a practicing barrister at the Law Library, Dublin
- Ms Fiona Murphy is a service coordinator with Extern - a charitable organisation which provides services to children assessed as being high risk requiring intensive community based support
- Mr Michael Farrell is Corporate Secretary in University College Cork.
