I wish to inform the Deputy that the position, with the exception of the Equality Authority, has not changed since I answered Parliamentary Question Number 489 on 31 January 2012 and that the details, including the relevant update on the Equality Authority, are set out as follows.
1. Children Detention Schools Board of Management
Member
Mr. Dan Kelleher was appointed on 20 September 2011.
2. Courts Service Board
Member
Mr. Shane Browne
Mr. Pat Doyle
Ms Deirdre O'Keeffe
The above were appointed on 5 December 2011.
3. Equality Authority
I have re-appointed members of the outgoing Board of the Equality Authority until the end of July 2012, by which time, I intend to have the necessary legislation in place to establish a new and enhanced Human Rights and Equality Commission.
Chairperson
Dr. Angela Kerins
Vice-chairperson
Mr. Christy Lynch
Ordinary Members
Ms Rhona Murphy
Ms Salome Mbugua
Ms Ellen Mongan
Ms Betty O'Leary
Mr. Peter White
Mr. Séan Fogarty
Mr. Kieran Rose
Mr. Nigel Brander
Ms Lynn Jackson
Mr. Paddy Maguinness
All of the above were appointed on 7 March 2012.
4. Judicial Appointments Advisory Board
Ordinary Members
Dr. Simon Boucher
Ms Karen Dent
Dr. Valerie Bresnihan
All of the above were appointed with effect from 7 June 2011.
5. Legal Aid Board
Chairperson
Ms Muriel Walls
Ordinary Members
Ms Oonagh Buckley
Ms Mary Dalton
Ms Kate Hayes
Ms Joy McGlynn
Ms Oonagh Mc Phillips
Mr. Mícheál O'Connell
Mr. Donncha O'Connell
Mr. John O'Gorman
Mr. Philip O'Leary
Ms Michelle O'Neill
Mr. Ger Power
Mr. Rob Reid
All of the above were appointed on 14 December 2011.
Mr. David Garvey was appointed on 18 January 2012.
6. Mental Health (Criminal Law) Review Board
Chairperson
Judge Brian McCracken was re-appointed as Chairperson with effect from 27 September 2011.
Ordinary Members
Ms Nora McGarry
Dr. Michael Mulcahy
Both of the above were appointed with effect from 27 September 2011.
7. Parole Board
Chairperson
Mr. John Costello was appointed with effect from 26 July 2011.
Ordinary Member
Ms Ciairín de Buis was appointed with effect from 26 July 2011.
8. Property Registration Authority
Ordinary Members
Mr. Frank Branigan was appointed on 29 April 2011.
Ms Teresa Pilkington was appointed on 27 May 2011.
Ms Deirdre Fox was appointed on 4 August 2011.
I can further inform the Deputy that none of the above positions were advertised either for reasons of timing, in that vacancies had to be filled quickly, or because relevant legislation required that the appointment be made on the nomination of a particular professional body. In the particular case of the Equality Authority, as the Deputy will be aware, the Government has agreed in principle to merge it with the Irish Human Rights Commission to form a new Human Rights and Equality Commission and the outgoing members of the Authority were re-appointed for the interim period to 31 July 2012. None of the above chairpersons has appeared before an Oireachtas Committee.
I would also like to inform the Deputy that I am still in the process of appointing the Board of the Property Services Regulatory Authority (PSRA). As part of this process the Chairperson Designate of the Authority appeared before the Joint Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality on 27 March 2012. I expect to announce details of appointments to the PSRA in the very near future. All of the positions were advertised on my Department's website and on the website of the Public Appointments Service. I expect to use this process for future such appointments.
<Question No. 489 of 31 January 2012>
Question: To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality if he will provide a breakdown of the number of appointments that have been made to State Boards by him since he came to office including the names of the appointees and the boards they have been appointed to; the number of these appointments that have been made using new procedures involving the advertising of such posts on his Departments websites and the interview of the chairperson of boards by Oireachtas committee; if he will highlight situations where this process has not occurred; and the reason it has not occurred in each case. — Gerry Adams
*For WRITTEN answer on Tuesday, 31st January, 2012.
Answer
I wish to inform the Deputy that the information requested is as follows:
1. Children Detention Schools Board of Management
Member
Mr. Dan Kelleher was appointed on 20 September 2011.
2. Courts Service Board
Member
Mr. Shane Browne
Mr. Pat Doyle
Ms Deirdre O'Keeffe
The above were appointed on 5 December 2011.
3. Equality Authority
I have re-appointed the outgoing Board of the Equality Authority until the end of February 2012, by which time, I intend to have the necessary legislation in place to establish a new and enhanced Human Rights and Equality Commission.
Chairperson
Dr. Angela Kerins
Mr. Christy Lynch (vice-chairperson)
Ordinary Members
Ms Rhona Murphy
Ms Salome Mbugua
Ms Ellen Mongan
Ms Betty O'Leary
Mr. Peter White
Mr. Séan Fogarty
Mr. Kieran Rose
Mr. Nigel Brander
Ms Lynn Jackson
Mr. Paddy Maguinness
All of the above were appointed on 21 September 2011.
Mr. David Joyce
Ms Annette Dolan
The above were appointed on 26 September 2011.
4. Judicial Appointments Advisory Board
Ordinary Members
Dr. Simon Boucher
Ms Karen Dent
Dr. Valerie Bresnihan
All of the above were appointed with effect from 7 June 2011.
5. Legal Aid Board
Chairperson
Ms Muriel Walls
Ordinary Members
Ms Oonagh Buckley
Ms Mary Dalton
Ms Kate Hayes
Ms Joy McGlynn
Ms Oonagh Mc Phillips
Ms Mícheál O'Connell
Mr. Donncha O'Connell
Mr. John O'Gorman
Mr. Philip O'Leary
Ms Michelle O'Neill
Mr. Ger Power
Mr. Rob Reid
All of the above were appointed on 14 December 2011.
Mr. David Garvey was appointed on 18 January 2012.
6. Mental Health (Criminal Law) Review Board
Chairperson
Judge Brian McCracken was re-appointed as Chairperson with effect from 27 September 2011.
Ordinary Members
Ms Nora McGarry
Dr. Michael Mulcahy
Both of these were appointed with effect from 27 September 2011.
7. Parole Board
Chairperson
Mr. John Costello was appointed with effect from 26 July 2011.
Ordinary Member
Ms Ciarin de Buis was appointed with effect from 26 July 2011.
8. Property Registration Authority
Ordinary Member
Mr. Frank Branigan was appointed on 29 April 2011.
Ms Teresa Pilkington was appointed on 27 May 2011.
Ms Deirdre Fox was appointed on 4 August 2011.
I can further inform the Deputy that none of the above positions were advertised either for reasons of timing, in that vacancies had to be filled quickly, or because relevant legislation required that the appointment be made on the nomination of a particular professional body. In the particular case of the Equality Authority, as the Deputy will be aware, the Government has agreed in principle to merge it with the Irish Human Rights Commission to form a new Human Rights and Equality Commission and the outgoing members of the Authority were re-appointed for the interim period to 29 February 2012. None of the above chairpersons has appeared before an Oireachtas Committee.
I would also like to inform the Deputy that I am currently in the process of appointing the Board of the Property Services Regulatory Authority. All of the positions on offer were advertised on my Department's website and on the website of the Public Appointments Service. I expect to use this process for future such appointments.