Michael D. Higgins
Ceist:51 Mr. M. Higgins asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if she will reconsider her decision not to appoint representatives of the unemployed to the new FÁS board. [4104/98]
Written Answers. - State Board Appointments.
Membership of the board of FÁS is governed by Part I of the Schedule to the Labour Services Act, 1987, which provides for the appointment of a chairman and 16 ordinary members by the Minister. Paragraph 7 (1) of Part I states that, of the ordinary members, four shall be trade union members, four shall be employer members, one shall be an educational member, one shall be a social welfare member, one shall be a youth member, two shall be FÁS employee members, one shall be a representative of the Minister for Finance and two shall be representatives of the Minister. The Schedule then lays down detailed rules as to how the various members shall be nominated or, in the case of FÁS employee representatives, elected.
The Deputy will appreciate that, in making appointments to the board of FÁS, I was constrained in the options open to me, having regard to the terms of the Labour Services Act, 1987. Having now made the appointments, it is not open to me to reconsider the composition of the board at this stage.