I propose to take Questions Nos. 163 to 166, inclusive, together.
The process for appointing members to the Board of the National Paediatric Hospital Development Board is set out in the National Paediatric Hospital Development Board (Establishment) Order 2007. In May 2018, the Chairperson of the Board advised my Department of the importance of maintaining continuity on the Board at the critical phase of the project and indicated that Board members were willing to be reappointed. In line with the requirements of the Establishment Order, the nominating bodies and the Chairperson were asked by officials of my Department to nominate persons to be appointed to the Board.
I issued letters of reappointment to the outgoing Chairperson of the National Paediatric Hospital Development Board on 3 July, to eight ordinary members of the Board on 16 July 2018 including a person (details supplied), and to the remaining three members of the Board on 17 July, 7 August and 3 October respectively. The appointment letters made clear to all parties that their term of office would be until such time as new appointments were made in line with the new legislative provision. There is one remaining vacancy on the Board.
Other than the above, I can confirm that no meetings were held or correspondence took place between a person (details supplied) and me regarding the national children’s hospital in 2018, or between members of the National Paediatric Hospital Development Board and me in the month before the reappointment of the Board in end July 2018.