Appointments to State Boards

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 13 March 2012

Tuesday, 13 March 2012

Ceisteanna (64, 65)

Shane Ross

Ceist:

115 Deputy Shane Ross asked the Taoiseach if he will provide a list of all appointments to State boards made by him, including any appointments to the position of chairperson, shown separately; if the vacancies on the boards were publicly advertised; who out of any appointments made applied through the publically advertised process; and the prospective nominees that went before the Oireachtas committee for questioning. [13496/12]

Freagraí scríofa

The Taoiseach

Since coming into office on 9 March 2011, I have made appointments to the National Economic and Social Council (NESC) only, as set out in the table beneath. These appointments were made following careful consideration of the necessary skills, knowledge and expertise relevant to the functions of the Council.

Some of the appointments were made on the basis of nominations from business and employer interests, the Irish Congress of Trade Unions, farming and agricultural interests, the community and voluntary sector and the environmental sector. It would not be appropriate to advertise these positions as they are nominated in a representative capacity. I may also appoint up to six public servants of whom at least one shall represent the Taoiseach and one shall represent the Minister for Finance. Historically, the Chairperson and Deputy Chairperson posts are filled from my Department at Secretary General and Assistant Secretary level. These appointments represent relevant Departments to ensure the Council's work is integrated with Government policy-making and would not be suitable for public advertisement.

Finally, a number of independents were appointed in June and July last year. The independent nominations to NESC were not advertised, as I was satisfied with the quality of nominees already compiled in my Department which are mainly from the academic sector. However, it may be appropriate to advertise the positions in the future and this can be considered as part of the strategic review of NESC currently being conducted by my Department.

No remuneration is paid for membership of the NESC.

Name	Organisation	Date ofAppointment
Mr. Martin Fraser, Chairperson of NESC	Secretary General, Department of the Taoiseach	August 2011
Mr. John Shaw, Deputy Chairperson of NESC	Assistant Secretary, Department of the Taoiseach	January 2012
Prof. Edgar Morgenroth	Associate Research Professor, Economic and Social Research Institute	June 2011
Prof. John McHale	Economist, National University of Ireland, Galway	June 2011
Prof. Mary Daly	Department of Sociology, Social Policy and Social Work, Queen’s University Belfast	June 2011
Prof. Anna Davis	Department of Geography, Trinity College, Dublin	June 2011
Prof. Seán Ó Riain	Department of Sociology, National University of Ireland, Maynooth	June 2011
Dr. Michael O’Sullivan	Head of UK Research and Global Asset Allocation, Credit Suisse, London	June 2011
Ms Mary Walsh	Chartered Accountant	June 2011
Dr. Michelle Morris	Senior Lecturer, School of Applied Social Science, University College Dublin.	July 2011
Mr. Shay Cody	IMPACT	September 2011
Mr. John Murphy	Secretary General, Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation	November 2011
Mr. Seán Ó Foghlú	Secretary General, Department of Education and Skills	February 2012
Mr. John Moran	Secretary General, Department of Finance	March 2012

Gerald Nash

Ceist:

116 Deputy Gerald Nash asked the Taoiseach if he will provide details in relation to the number and names of all semi-State companies and statutory agencies under the remit of his Department; if he will provide a list of all members of the board of such organisations for the years 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010 and 2011; if he will provide a list of all expenses associated with membership of these boards on an individual basis for the relevant years; if he will provide information relating to the profession or occupation of all such members of the relevant State companies and statutory agencies; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13512/12]

The Taoiseach

The National Economic and Social Development Office (NESDO) is the only State Agency under the aegis of my Department. The NESDO was established under the NESDO Act 2006 and is the body corporate for the National Economic and Social Council (NESC).

Membership of the NESDO and the NESC for the years 2007-2011 are provided in the following tabular statements. In the case of the NESC, the organisations which nominated the members are shown rather than their occupations, since that is the basis upon which they were appointed. All expenses shown in the tabular statements are in respect of travel and subsistence which is paid in accordance with the relevant Department of Finance circulars.

MEMBERSHIP OF THE BOARD OF THE NATIONAL ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT OFFICE

1 January 2007 to 31 March 2010
Name	Occupation	Expenses paid
Dermot McCarthy	Secretary General, Department of the Taoiseach	Nil
Mary Doyle	Assistant Secretary, Department of the Taoiseach	Nil
Maureen Gaffney	Chairperson, National Economic and Social Forum	Nil
Peter Cassells	Chairperson, National Centre for Partnership and Performance	Nil
Philip Kelly	Assistant Secretary, Department of the Taoiseach	Nil

MEMBERSHIP OF THE BOARD OF THE NATIONAL ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT OFFICE

1 April 2010 to 31 December 2011
Name	Occupation	Expenses paid
Dermot McCarthy (Retired in July 2011 and replaced by Martin Fraser in August 2011)	Secretary General, Department of the Taoiseach	Nil
Philip Kelly (Term concluded in June 2011)	Assistant Secretary, Department of the Taoiseach	Nil

MEMBERSHIP OF THE NATIONAL ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COUNCIL

2007-2010
Name	Organisation	Expenses Paid
Chairperson: Dermot McCarthy	Department of the Taoiseach	Nil
Deputy Chairperson Mary Doyle (to May, 2010)	Department of the Taoiseach	Nil
Business and Employer Organisation Nominees
Turlough O’Sullivan (replaced by Tony Donohoe in 2010)	IBEC	Nil
John Dunne	Chambers of Commerce Ireland	Nil
Liam Kelleher (replaced by Tom Parlon in 2008)	Construction Industry Federation	Nil
Aileen O’Donoghue (replaced by Siobhan Masterson in 2008)	IBEC	Nil
Danny McCoy	IBEC	Nil
Trade Union Nominees
David Begg	Irish Congress of Trade Unions	Nil
Sally-Anne Kinahan	Irish Congress of Trade Unions	Nil
Jack O’Connor	SIPTU	Nil
Manus O’Riordan	SIPTU	Nil
Peter McLoone	IMPACT	Nil
Agricultural and Farming Organisation Nominees
Eddie Punch	Irish Cattle and Sheepfarmers’ Association	Nil
Seamus O’Donohoe	Irish Co-operative Organisation Society	Nil
Ciaran Dolan	Irish Creamery Milk Supplies Association	€437.87 (2008)€437.85 (2009)€2,226.08 (2010)
Michael Berkery (replaced by Pat Smith in 2009)	Irish Farmers’ Association	Nil
Colm Markey (replaced by Edmond Connolly in 2009)	Macra na Feirme	Nil
Community and Voluntary Nominees
Seán Healy	Social Justice Ireland	Nil
John Dolan	Disability Federation of Ireland	Nil
Brid O’Brien	Irish National Organisation for the Unemployed	Nil
Camille Loftus (replaced by Orla O’Connor in 2009)	National Women’s Council	Nil
Seamus Boland	Irish Rural Link	€694.55 (2007)€398.85 (2008)€613.99 (2009)€1,280.66 (2010)
Independent Nominees
Elizabeth Meehan	Queen’s University Belfast	€660.73 (2007))€934.21 (2008))€3,004.33 (2009))€1,628.31 (2010)
Seán Barrett	Trinity College Dublin	Nil
Peter Clinch (resigned in 2008)	Independent member	Nil
Oisin Coughlan	Friends of the Earth	Nil
Con Lucey (retired in June 2009)	Independent Member	Nil
Government Department Nominees
Brigid McManus	Department of Education and Science	Nil
Seán Gorman	Department of Enterprise, Trade and Innovation	Nil
Geraldine Tallon	Department of Environment, Heritage and Local Government	Nil
David Doyle (replaced by Kevin Cardiff in 2010)	Department of Finance	Nil
Niamh O’Donoghue	Department of Social Protection	Nil

MEMBERSHIP OF THE NATIONAL ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COUNCIL

2010-2011
Name	Organisation	Expenses Paid
Chairperson Dermot McCarthy (Replaced by Martin Fraser in August 2011)	Department of the Taoiseach	Nil
Deputy Chairperson Mary Doyle (to May 2010)	Department of the Taoiseach	Nil
Business and Employer Organisation Nominees
Danny McCoy	Irish Business and Employers Confederation	Nil
Tony Donohoe	Irish Business and Employers Confederation	Nil
Tom Parlon	Construction Industry Federation	Nil
Ian Talbot	Chambers Ireland	Nil
Trade Union Nominees
David Begg	Irish Congress of Trade Unions	Nil
Sally-Anne Kinahan	Irish Congress of Trade Unions	Nil
Peter McLoone (replaced by Shay Cody in September 2011)	IMPACT	Nil
Manus O’Riordan	SIPTU	Nil
Agricultural and Farming Organisation Nominees
Edmund Connolly	Macra na Feirme	Nil
Pat Smith	Irish Farmers Association	Nil
Seamus O’Donohoe	Irish Co-operative Organisation Society	Nil
Frank Allen	ICMSA	Nil
Community and Voluntary Nominees
Seán Healy	Social Justice Ireland	Nil
Caroline Fahey	St. Vincent de Paul	Nil
James Dorley	National Youth Council of Ireland	Nil
Brid O’Brien	Irish National Organisation for the Unemployed	Nil
Environmental Nominees
Oisin Coughlan	Friends of the Earth	Nil
Karin Dubsky	Coast Watch	Nil
Siobhan Egan	Birdwatch Ireland	Nil
Michael Ewing	Irish Environmental Network	Nil
Independent Nominees
Edgar Morgenroth	ESRI	Nil
John McHale	National University of Ireland, Galway	€381.40 (2011)
Mary Daly	Queens University Belfast	€248.84 (2011)
Anna Davis	Trinity College Dublin	Nil
Seán Ó Riain	National University of Ireland Maynooth	Nil
Michael O’Sullivan	Credit Swisse (Paris)	€1,035.13 (2011)
Mary Walsh	Chartered Accountant	Nil
Michelle Norris	University College Dublin	Nil
Government Department Nominees
Kevin Cardiff	Department of Finance	Nil
Seán Gorman (replaced by John Murphy in November 2011)	Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation	Nil
Brigid McManus	Department of Education and Skills	Nil
Geraldine Tallon	Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government	Nil