Léim ar aghaidh chuig an bpríomhábhar
Gnáthamharc

Appointments to State Boards

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 5 March 2013

Tuesday, 5 March 2013

Ceisteanna (292)

Michael Healy-Rae

Ceist:

292. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of appointments she has made from March 2011 to January 2013 to State boards; in the case of each appointment, the number of appointments that were made to members of the general public who submitted a curriculum vitae for the appointment; the number of direct appointments she made; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [11481/13]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Freagraí scríofa

The statutory bodies operating under the aegis of the Department of Social Protection are the Citizens Information Board, the Pensions Board, the Pensions Ombudsman (which does not have a board) and the Social Welfare Tribunal.

Citizens Information Board

I have made three appointments to the Citizens Information Board since coming into office. Mr. Eugene Mc Erlean was appointed with effect from 7 September 2011 following a public request for expressions of interest from suitably qualified and experienced individuals in line with the procedures for appointment to State Boards and bodies agreed by Government in May 2011. This appointment was processed by the Public Appointments Service (PAS), who had received a curriculum vitae from the successful applicant. The other two appointments did not require public advertisement as one was the Department’s representative to the Board, Ms. Fiona Ward, first appointed on 1 November 2011, and the other was the CIB’s staff representative to the Board, Mr. David Stratton, who was appointed on 5 November 2012. This was in accordance with the governing legislation: the Comhairle Act 2000, as amended by the Citizens Information Act 2007. Arrangements are being made to seek public expressions of interest in two existing board vacancies which will also be filled in accordance with the procedures for appointment to State boards and bodies agreed by Government in May 2011.

Pensions Board

No appointments have been made by me to the Pensions Board since I took office. The Public Service Reform Programme provides for a critical review of the integration of the regulatory functions of the Pensions Board with the Financial Regulator and the merging of the Pensions Ombudsman with the Financial Services Ombudsman. The Critical Review Group, established to carry out this review, is finalising a draft report with recommendations.

Social Welfare Tribunal

The Board of the Social Welfare Tribunal is appointed for a three year term. It consists of a Chairperson and four ordinary members. Legislation provides that the four ordinary members of the Tribunal are appointed by the Minister on the recommendation of the Irish Congress of Trade Unions (ICTU) and the Irish Business Employer Confederation (IBEC), with two nominations from each. There have been 6 appointments to the board since March 2011. One of the ICTU members of the Tribunal resigned in 2011 and on ICTU’s nomination, a replacement member was appointed from 24 October 2011. All appointments were due for renewal on 4th October 2012. Four members of the previous board and one new person, nominated by IBEC, were appointed to the new board, by me, effective from 5 October 2012. Both bodies had forwarded their nominations which were duly approved and appointed by me.

The Chairperson is sourced by the Department of Social Protection by way of a recommendation from the Labour Court with regard to a particular candidate’s suitability. The Chairperson, who was re-appointed in 2012, has held the position since 2003. He is a former Rights Commissioner with extensive experience in dispute resolution and has been proven to hold all of the qualifications, skills and competencies necessary for the position. The revised Code of Practice for the Governance of State Bodies does not apply to the Social Welfare Tribunal due to its structure and purpose .

Barr
Roinn