asked the Minister for the Environment the name, qualifications and experience of each person appointed by him to An Bord Pleanála; the duration of the appointment; the level of remuneration; and the conditions attaching to each appointment.
Written Answers. - Bord Pleanála Appointments.
351.
The Local Government (Planning and Development) Act, 1983, provides that the chairman of An Bord Pleanála shall be paid the same salary as a judge of the High Court. The salary of the chairman who is appointed by the Government is now £33,651 per annum. With the consent of the Minister for the Public Service, I have fixed the salary of the deputy chairman and each of the ordinary members of the board at £26,054 and £22,261 per annum respectively. The chairman and members are appointed in a wholetime capacity. The procedures for their appointment are prescribed by the 1983 Act.
The names, qualifications and experience of the persons appointed and the duration of their appointment were given in statements issued to the press on 3 and 15 February 1984 copies of which I am circulating with the Official Report.
Following are the statements:—
AN BORD PLEANÁLA.
Mr. Liam Kavanagh, TD, Minister for the Environment, wishes to announce that the Government have decided to appoint Mr. Francis L. Benson to be the chairman of An Bord Pleanála on its reconstitution under the Local Government (Planning and Development) Act, 1983. Applications for the position were invited by public advertisement by a special selection committee established under the Act and the Government was required to make the appointment from among not more than three persons selected by that committee and found by them to be suitable for appointment.
The selection committee consisted of: the President of the High Court, (Mr. Justice T.A. Finlay), the chairman of the County Councils General Council, (Mr. T. Keenan): the Chief Engineering Adviser of the Department of the Environment (Mr. B.J. Tighe); the chairman of the Council of An Taisce, (Mr. G. Ackland), the president of the Construction Industry Federation, (Mr. E. C. Corbett); the former president of the Executive Council of the Irish Congress or Trade Unions (Mr. P. Cardiff).
Subject to the provisions of the 1983 Act, Mr. Benson will hold office for a term of seven years. He will have a particular responsibility to ensure that the new board operates efficiently and for arranging the distribution of its business among the members.
Arrangements for the appointment of the five ordinary members of the reconstituted board are at an advanced stage and the names of the persons whom it is proposed to appoint will be announced by the Minister as soon as possible. It is expected that the new arrangements will come into operation in March. In the meantime, the existing board will continue to hold office.
Mr. Frank Benson was born in Co. Mayo and received his early education at Mount St. Joseph's CBS, Ennistymon, Co. Clare. He is a chartered engineer and town planner, holding a BE Degree in Civil Engineering, and Post-Graduate Diplomas in Town Planning and in Management. He is, at present, an executive director of Power Securities Limited, a company which has been engaged in shopping and office development in Cork, Limerick and Dublin (as well as in the UK) and a number of whose projects have involved the refurbishment and adaptation of old buildings for modern reuse, the most notable of which is the Powerscourt Townhouse Centre in Dublin. Mr. Benson formerly worked as assistant county engineer in Sligo and Clare, (1960-1966), and as planning assistant (and later chief planning assistant) under Cork County Council (1966-1973). He was engaged in the preparation of the development plan for the county, urban districts and towns, and in development control. During that period, he was seconded for a year to work with a special project team on a UN-sponsored subregional study of Cork city and county and was also closely involved in the early work of the South-West Regional Development Organisation. In 1973-1974, Mr. Benson was employed by the IDA as regional planning adviser, and was involved in the review of regional industrial plans. As senior planner in Dublin (1974-1979), he was involved with the 1976 review of the City Development Plan and with major planning applications and was seconded for six months to work with the Eastern RDO on the preparation of phase one of a regional development strategy for the eastern region. He is a past chairman of the Irish branch of the Regional Studies Association. He is a founder member and a former vice-president of the Irish Planning Institute. He is also a council member of the Dublin City Centre Business Association.
3 February, 1984.
APPOINTMENT OF ORDINARY MEMBERS OF AN BORD PLEANÁLA.
Mr. Liam Kavanagh, TD, Minister for the Environment, wishes to announce that he intends to appoint the following persons as ordinary members of An Bord Pleanála on its reconstitution under the Local Government (Planning and Development) Act, 1983: Eoghan C. Brangan — an engineer and town planner at present employed as a senior research officer by An Foras Forbartha; Donald A. Hannigan — a principal officer in the Department of the Environment where he has worked in the planning appeals, planning development, building and construction and personnel sections. John J. N. Hayes — an engineer who is at present employed as senior projects engineer with Project Management Ltd., Cork. Ann C. M. Quinn — the holder of a science degree from UCG and with post-graduate qualifications and experience in planning, resource conservation and environmental education. Robin A. D. Walker — a fellow and past-president of the Royal Institute of the Architects of Ireland and a former partner in the firm of Scott Tallon Walker, Architects.
The Government have already announced that it is the intention to appoint Mr. Francis L. Benson to be chairman of the board on its reconstitution. It is intended that Mr. Hannigan will be appointed deputy chairman.
The appointment of ordinary members of the board is now regulated by the 1983 Planning Act. One of the members must be a civil servant from the Department of the Environment and the other four must be appointed from among persons selected by four groups of organisations prescribed by regulations and representative of professional, environmental, development and general interests. The attached appendix lists the nominating organisations, each of which was requested by the Minister to submit the names and curricula vitae of two persons considered suitable for appointment as an ordinary member. One member is now being appointed from among the persons selected by the organisations in each of the four groups. Subject to a retirement age of 65 years, the ordinary members will hold office for a term of five years.
The Minister intends to make an Order bringing the remaining provisions of the 1983 Act into operation on 20 March, 1984. The members of the present board will cease to hold office on that date.
15 February, 1984.
Appendix
Group A The Irish Planning Institute Limited.
The Royal Town Planning Institute, Irish Branch — Southern Section.
The Institute of Engineers of Ireland.
The Society of Chartered Surveyors in the Republic of Ireland.
The Royal Institute of the Architects of Ireland.
Group B
An Taisce — the National Trust for Ireland.
Bord Fáilte Éireann.
The Heritage Trust.
The Royal Irish Academy.
The County and City Managers' Association.
Group C
The Construction Industry Federation.
The Irish Congress of Trade Unions.
The Industrial Development Authority.
The Confederation of Irish Industry.
The Association of Chambers of Commerce of Ireland.
Group D Aontacht Cumann Riartha Aitreabhthóirí (ACRA).
The National Association of Tenants' Organisations.
The National Youth Council of Ireland.
The Irish Farmers' Association.
The Irish Creamery Milk Suppliers' Association.
The Irish Countrywomen's Association.
The Council for the Status of Women.