Richard Bruton
Ceist:8 Mr. R. Bruton asked the Minister for Energy whether he has had discussions with the Nuclear Energy Board on their recent appointment of the chief executive; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Nuclear Energy Board.
The appointment of a chief executive of the Nuclear Energy Board is a matter for the board and I was not involved in any discussions with them on the matter. Recently, the chairman informed me that Dr. Noel Nowlan, the present chief executive, has tendered his resignation from 30 June. The board did not wish to enter into a procedure to fill the post of chief executive of the NEB permanently in view of the imminent establishment of the new National Radiological Protection Institute. A chief executive appointed from 30 June would have a very short term of office before the institute, with a new chief executive, was in place.
The chairman, therefore, notified me that the board propose to fill the chief executive post on an interim basis by appointing Dr. T. O'Flaherty as chief executive from 1 July next until the Nuclear Energy Board is replaced. Dr. O'Flaherty served on the board of the Nuclear Energy Board from 1982 to 1987, has been acting as an adviser to the board since 1987 and has been chairman of the board's advisory committee on process irradiation for some years. He was a senior staff member in An Foras Talúntais before taking up duty in my Department in 1988. It was necessary for the board to consult me to ensure that Dr. O'Flaherty could be released for whatever period is necessary. In the interests of the efficient operation of the board I agreed to his release.
Is the Minister satisfied that there was no advertisement for this position and that there was no competition held to fill it? Is the new body to which he has referred the same body that was promised in February 1987? If that is the case, will the Minister give us some indication why he feels it is not imminent after we have waited almost three years for the same body to be put in place?
The Bill to set up the new National Radiological Protection Institute was delayed for certain reasons over which I had very little control when I came to the Department. The matter was resolved but there were other matters which delayed it, such as international agreements which we wanted to include in the Bill. We had to make provision for them and that has been done. I used the word "imminent" because the intention is to circulate the Bill today or tomorrow.
The position was not advertised. It would have been very foolish to advertise it at that time because one could not expect to get a reasonable response to an advertisement for a position which was only going to last for a couple of months. This will be a very senior appointment and when the Bill is passed by the Houses of the Oireachtas and brought into force the new institute will be established. The position of chief executive for the new institute will be advertised then. It would have been very foolish, a waste of time and money, to have advertised for a temporary chief executive for the couple of months that remained. I do not think we would have had any response.