Written Answers. - Ministerial Appointments.
Ruairí Quinn
Ceist:
684
Mr. Quinn
asked the
Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs
the appointments made by her to boards, agencies or committees operating under the aegis of her Department from 17 April 2002 to date; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
[13721/02]
The statutory agencies operating under the aegis of my Department are the Pensions Board, the Combat Poverty Agency, Comhairle, the Social Welfare Tribunal, the Commissioners of Charitable Donations and Bequests for Ireland and the Dormant Accounts Fund Disbursements Board. I have made no appointments of the kind referred to by the Deputy in his question since taking office on 6 June 2002.
The following appointments were made by my predecessor, Deputy Dermot Ahern, during the period in question.
The Pensions Board was established under the Pensions Act, 1990, and has the general function of monitoring and supervising the operation of the Pensions Act and pensions developments generally. The Pensions (Amendment) Act, 2002, provides for the addition of a representative of pensioner interests and a representative of consumer interests. Michael O'Halloran of the Senior Citizens Parliament and Carmel Foley, Director of the Office of Consumer Affairs, were appointed from 1 June 2002.
The Dormant Accounts Fund Disbursements Board was established on 5 June 2002. The establishment of the board stems from the enactment of the Dormant Accounts Act, 2001. While the main purpose of the Act is to reunite account holders with their dormant funds in banks, building societies and An Post, it also provides for a scheme to disburse unclaimed moneys for projects and programmes designed to alleviate poverty and social deprivation. The scheme will also be applied to programmes to assist people with disabilities or primary school students with learning difficulties.
The membership of the board includes representatives from the financial services industry, community and voluntary sector, disability organisations and the education sector. Following are the board members: chairperson – Conleth Bradley, barrister; members – Deirdre Carroll, assistant secretary, Department of Social, Community and Family Affairs; Úna Henry, nominated to represent the community and voluntary sector; Professor Áine Hyland, Vice President of University College Cork, to represent the educational sector; Dónal O'Siochain, first officer, captain and former director of Aer Lingus; Gerry Ryan, former general secretary of the National Association for the Mentally Handicapped of Ireland and nominated to represent the disability sector; Séamus Thompson, chief executive of the Irish Wheelchair Association; Enda Twomey of the Irish Bankers' Federation, representing the financial services industry; and Frank Ward, solicitor.
Legislation to establish the Family Support Agency was finalised with the passing of the Family Support Agency Act, 2001, and I propose to establish the new agency shortly. The new agency will provide a family mediation service; support, promote and develop the provision of marriage and relationship counselling and other family supports; and support, promote and develop the family and community.
It will also undertake research, provide and disseminate information about parenting and family issues and provide advice to the Minister on matters relating to its functions.
The Act provides that there shall be 12 members, including the chairperson. These shall include persons with an interest and expertise in the functions of the agency, one member of staff of the agency a representative of the Minister and not more than three officers of another Minister of the Government.
I propose to appoint the following individuals as members of the Family Support Agency in the near future: Chairperson – Mr. Michael O'Kennedy, senior counsel and former Government Minister, TD and EU Commissioner; members – Ms Clare Cashman, youth and community worker, Resource Centre, Ballingarry, County Tipperary; Ms Sinéad Hanly, counsellor and barrister, Dublin; Mr. Dick Hickey, director, St. Brigid's Family Resource Centre, Waterford; Mr. Brendan Murphy, psychologist and member of the Mediators Institute of Ireland, Dublin; Dr Colm O'Connor, clinical psychologist and director, Cork Marriage Counselling Centre; Ms Muriel Walls, solicitor and family law specialist, Dublin; Ms Deirdre Carroll, assistant secretary, Department of Social, Community and Family Affairs; Bríd Rocks, remedial teacher and psycho-therapist, Cooley, County Louth.
The remaining appointees will include an officer of the Department of Health and Children and an elected member of staff of the agency.
