I propose to take Questions Nos. 280 and 281 together.
The only State body currently under the aegis of the Department of Defence is the Army Pensions Board. The Army Pensions Board is an independent statutory body established under the Army Pensions Act, 1927. The Act specifies that the Board shall consist of a chairman and two ordinary members. The two ordinary members must be qualified medical practitioners of whom one must be an officer of the Army Medical Corps. The chairman and the non military ordinary member are appointed by the Minister for Defence with the concurrence of the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform. The Army Medical Corps ordinary member is appointed by the Minister for Defence on the recommendation of the Chief of Staff of the Defence Forces.
Commandant Zdenek Osecky who was a temporary ordinary member of the Board with effect from 10 September 2015 was permanently appointed on 24 June 2016 by the Minister for Defence on the recommendation of the Chief of Staff of the Defence Forces.
No other vacancy has been filled on the Army Pensions Board since 8 May 2016 and no vacancies currently exist on the Army Pensions Board.