Vol. 487 No. 4
129 Mr. Naughten asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the State boards under his responsibility which have a member under the age of 30; the nominator of this member to the board; and the measures, if any, he proposes to increase the number of young people on these boards. [4367/98]
Appointments to State boards are made on the basis of the qualifications and suitability of the individual concerned. Records are not maintained in respect of the ages of such individuals
There are six State boards-agencies which come under the aegis of the Department of Foreign Affairs. These are: Agency for Personnel Service Overseas, APSO, Cultural Relations Committee, CRC, Irish Aid Advisory Committee, IAAC, the National Committee for Development Education, NCDE, The Refugee Agency, and, the Joint Department of Foreign Affairs-NGO Standing Committee on Human Rights. The Department does not keep details of the personal information which the Deputy has requested concerning age profile of members of boards under the aegis of this Department.
Members of these boards and committees are appointed in a representative rather than a personal capacity on the basis and of their expertise, suitability and experience to serve on these boards or committees. I am of course conscious of the need to appoint younger people to serve on any of these boards and am only too willing to do so provided they have the required expertise to serve on the board or committee concerned.
