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Appointments to State Boards

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 18 September 2012

Tuesday, 18 September 2012

Ceisteanna (556)

Dara Calleary

Ceist:

556. Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation the total number of board appointees he has made since he came to office; the names, salaries and expenses of each; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37360/12]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Freagraí scríofa

In line with the requirements of the Code of Practice for the Governance of State Bodies, details of Board members, including remuneration and expenses paid from 2009 onwards, can be sourced from the annual reports of the agencies concerned. However, to the extent that information on remuneration and expenses of these Board members is immediately available to me, I have included it in this reply. In all cases, expenses are set in accordance with Department of Finance guidelines.

Since I came into Office, the following Board appointments have been made:

Health and Safety Authority (HAS)

Mr John Newham, a Principal Officer in my Department, was appointed to the Board of the Health and Safety Authority on 10 April 2012. He does not receive any fees or expenses.

Shannon Development

Mr Stephen Curran, a Principal Officer in my Department was appointed to the Board of Shannon Development on 23 February 2012. Mr Curran does not receive any remuneration in respect of this appointment. Since his appointment, Mr Curran has received expenses amounting to €1,148.87.

Forfas

I have made two appointments to the board of Forfás. Mr John Murphy, Secretary General of my Department, and Professor Mark Ferguson, Director General, Science Foundation Ireland, were appointed on 18 January 2012. No board fees are payable in respect of either of these appointments and no expenses have been paid to date in respect of either appointment.

National Standards Authority of Ireland Board (NSAI)

Ms Barbara O’Leary and Mr Terry Landers were appointed to the Board of NSAI on 6th March 2012. Both appointments were publicly advertised and Ms O’Leary and Mr Landers both applied through the expressions of interest process. Mr Landers has waived his fee and, as a public servant, Ms O’Leary is not entitled to a fee.

Two staff representatives, Ms Anne Clarke and Mr Kierán Cox, were appointed on 14 April 2012 following an open election within the agency. Neither of the two staff representatives is entitled to a fee and no expenses have been paid to date.

Competition Authority

While it does not have a typical board structure, the Competition Authority consists of a Chairperson and up to four other members who act as an executive board. The Competition Acts 2002 to 2010 set out the requirements pertaining to appointments to the Authority.

I re-appointed Mr Declan Purcell as Chairperson of the Competition Authority on 1 July 2011. Following his retirement, I appointed Ms Isolde Goggin as Chairperson with effect from 1st October 2011 following her selection by the Public Appointments Service (PAS) through which the recruitment was administered.

I appointed Ms Noreen Mackey and Mr David McFadden as temporary members of the Authority in July 2011 and I subsequently re-appointed both from 1st October. On 9th August 2011, I re-appointed Mr Ciarán Quigley as a temporary member of the Authority. These temporary members were re-placed by Mr Stephen Calkins on 01 December 2011, Mr Gerald FitzGerald on the 5 December 2011 and by Mr Patrick Kenny whom I appointed on 9 January 2012.

The Chairperson of the Authority is paid at a salary level equivalent to Deputy Secretary General Grade while members are paid a salary equivalent of the Assistant Secretary grade.

Irish Auditing and Accounting Supervisory Authority

Seven appointments were made to the Irish Auditing and Accounting Supervisory Authority (IAASA).

Mr Dave Martin and Mr Kevin O’Donovan were both appointed as nominees of the Prescribed Accountancy Bodies on the 26 May 2011. On 3 January 2012, I appointed Ms Sylvia McNeece of the Irish Pension Board, Ms Deirdre Behan of the Revenue Commissioners, Ms Mairead Devine of the Central Bank, Ms Marie Daly of the Irish Business and Employers’ Confederation and Mr Sean Hawkshaw of the Irish Association of Investment Managers. These appointments were made in compliance with the Companies (Auditing and Accounting) Act 2003.

On 8 March 2012, I appointed Mr Conor O’Mahony of the Office of the Director of Corporate Enforcement. As a public servant, Mr O’Mahony does not receive a fee.

Ms Muireann O'Neill was appointed to the board of IAASA on 1 September 2012. She receives a fee of €7,695 per annum.

National Consumer Agency

In November 2011, Ms Isolde Goggin, Chairperson of the Competition Authority, was also appointed to the Board of the National Consumer Agency. Ms Goggin is Chairperson designate of the new body which will be established on foot of the merger of the Competition Authority and the National Consumer Agency.

Mr Stephen Costello, Chairman and Mr Robin O'Sullivan were both reappointed to the Agency with effect from 1 May 2012 and 6 May 2012 respectively.

Ms Colleen Savage and Mr Eugene Gallagher were appointed to the Board of the National Consumer Agency on 6th May 2012.

As a Category 2 State Body, the NCA Chair is entitled to a fee of €20,520 while board members are entitled to a fee of €11,970. Ms Goggin as Chairperson of the Competition Authority does not receive a fee.

PIAB

Five appointments were made to the Personal Injuries Assessment Board (PIAB) since March 2011. Ms Ann Fitzgerald was reappointed on the 8 September 2011 in her capacity as Chief Executive of the National Consumer Agency.

Ms Breda Power, an Assistant Secretary in my Department was appointed on 26 October 2011 as the Department’s representative. She does not receive a fee.

I also appointed Mr Martin Naughton on 5 April 2012 and Dr Fionnuala O'Loughlin and Mr John Lynch in the 1 August 2012. These appointments followed a request for expressions of interest through the Public Appointments Service.

Fees paid to board members are contained in PIAB’s Annual Reports. No expenses were paid to board members in 2011.

Science Foundation Ireland (SFI)

I re-appointed Prof Rita Colwell and Prof Martina-Newell McGloughlin to the SFI Board with effect from 26 July 2011. Board fees of €11,307 were paid to both in respect of 2011.

Professor Mark Ferguson was appointed to the Board of Science Foundation Ireland on 16th January 2012 on his commencement in the post of Director General of the Foundation. No board fee is applicable.

I also appointed Mr. Dermot Curran, Assistant Secretary at the Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation to the SFI Board with effect from 1 September 2012. As a serving public servant a Board Fee is not applicable to Mr. Curran. The above appointments were each approved by the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform, and followed consultation with the Minister for Education and Skills.

InterTrade Ireland

The InterTradeIreland Board expired on the 12th December 2011. With effect from 13th December 2011, I appointed Mr Martin Cronin, Mr John Corbett, Mr Kevin Norton and Ms Mairead Sorenson to the Board.

InterTradeIreland Board members receive annual fees. These fees are at levels set by the North South ministerial Council. The fees and expenses paid to date to the current Board members from the Republic of Ireland are set out below.

Board member

Annual fees

Expenses paid to date

Martin Cronin

€11,970

-

Joanne Spain

€9,830

€567.35

Brendan Butler

€7,695

-

Kevin Norton

€7,695

€710.62

Mairead Sorensen

€7,695

€529.96

John Corbett

€7,695

-

Industrial Development Authority

Since I came to Office, I have made the following appointments to Board of the IDA Ireland - Mr Alan Gray (25 January 2012), Ms Mary Campbell (6 February 2012), Peter Cassells (25 May 2012) and Mr Dermot Curran of my Department. Since their appointment, fees paid to Ms Campbell have totalled €6,811 while fees paid to Mr Cassells have totalled €3,218. Fees have not been paid to the other two appointees.

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