Appointments to State Boards

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 31 January 2012

Tuesday, 31 January 2012

Ceisteanna (485)

Gerry Adams

Ceist:

532 Deputy Gerry Adams asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine 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 Department’s 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. [5037/12]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine (Deputy Simon Coveney)

Since May of 2011 all vacancies on the State Boards that fall under my Department's remit are listed on the Department's website. Board appointments to a number of the bodies and agencies are not always made at my sole discretion. Instead, individuals are nominated for appointment by various organisations, specified in the relevant statute. These include the Aquaculture Licensing Appeals Board, Teagasc, National Milk Agency, Veterinary Council and Horse Racing Ireland.

There have been a number of appointments to State Boards during my tenure details of which can be found in the accompanying table. The Chairs appointed have yet to be called before the relevant Oireachtas committee but are aware of this requirement.

Body/Agency	No of Board Members	No of Board appointments	Name
Aquaculture Licensing Appeals Board	7	1	Brendan Brice
An Bord Bia	15	6 (including the Chair)	Michael Carey (Chair)
		Gary Brown
		Michael Cronin
		Rhona Holland
		John Kingston
		Brody Sweeney
Bord na gCon	7	4	Philip Meaney (Chair)
			Matt Murphy
			Brendan Moore
			Tim Gilbert
Coillte	9	1	Oliver McCabe
Teagasc	11	1	Thomas Cooke — nominated by ICMSA
Veterinary Council	19	5	Michael Joseph Sheahan
			Peadar Ó Scanaill
			Michael Patrick Mary Sadlier
			Deirdre Patricia Campion
			Martin Blake