The executive board of the Dublin Docklands Development Authority comprises a chairperson and seven ordinary directors, with business, management, public sector, financial, architectural and engineering backgrounds. Accordingly, the board has been assigned to bring a wide range of experience to bear in directing the performance by the authority of the functions assigned to it under relevant legislation.
It inevitably arises for the above that entities with which board members are associated may have legitimate business interests in the docklands area. The authority has adopted a formal code of conduct for its board and employees, which requires disclosure of interests by board members and specifies procedures to be followed in the event of a conflict of interests. I consider that observance of this code should allow the DDDA executive board to benefit from the relevant knowledge and expertise of persons with the backgrounds outlined above, while avoiding material conflicts of interest.
I wish to make a further point to the Deputy. It is difficult in a relatively small city to select people with the talent and the time and who are willing to give service to the public through these boards.