Appointments to State Boards

Wednesday, 15 January 2014

Ceisteanna (674)

Mary Lou McDonald

Ceist:

674. Deputy Mary Lou McDonald asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will provide, in tabular form and year on year, the number of commercial and non-commercial State agency board positions under the aegis of his Department filled between March 2011 and December 2013; the number of these positions that were publicly advertised; and the number of female appointments. [1369/14]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine

Since May 2011, a notification has been placed on my Department’s website inviting expressions of interest from persons interested in being appointed to the boards of State Bodies under the aegis of my Department. On 20 December 2013 last, I placed an advertisement in the National Newspapers inviting expressions of interest. All expressions of interest lapse at the end of each calendar year.

In making any board appointments, I am not necessarily confined to those who make such expressions of interest but ensure that all of those appointed have the relevant mix of knowledge and expertise to contribute to the relevant board.

In the case of a number of bodies, some board appointments, while made by me, are not at my sole discretion in that individuals are nominated for appointment by me by various organisations as specified in the relevant statute. These are the Aquaculture Licensing Appeals Board, Bord Bia, Teagasc, National Milk Agency, Veterinary Council of Ireland and Horse Racing Ireland.

The information sought by the Deputy is outlined in the table below as at 15 January 2014:

Body/ Agency	No of Board Members	No of Board appointments since March 2011	Name	Date Appointed	‘Expression of Interest’ Appointments	No of current vacancies
Aquaculture Licensing Appeals Board	7	7 (I female appointed)	Brendan Brice	9/11/2011	None-Nominations made by prescribed organisations from which Minister made appointments	0
			Camilla Keane	23/2/2012
			Sean Murphy	1/1/2013
			Michael Sweeney	1/1/2013
			Dr. Owen McIntyre	11/04/2013
			Jim Power	11/04/2013
			Lorcán O Cinnéide	22/10/2013
An Bord Bia	15	12 (including the Chair) (3 females appointed)	Michael Carey (Chair)	19/11/2011	11 Nominations made by prescribed organisations from which Minister made appointments	1
			Gary Brown	7/10/2011
			Michael Cronin	7/10/2011
			Rhona Holland	7/10/2011
			John Kingston	7/10/2011
			Brody Sweeney	7/10/2011
			Mary J Byrne	28/03/2012
			John Bryan	24/03/2012
			John Horgan	7/12/2012
			John Comer	12/04/2013
			Frank Hayes	12/04/2013
			Caroline Keeling	10/12/2013
Bord Iascaigh Mhara	6	2 (including the Chair) (No females appointed)	Kiernan Calnan (Chair)	13/06/2012	One appointment from ‘expressions of interest’	3
			Pádraig O Céidigh	30/04/2013
Bord na gCon	7	6 (including the Chair) (no females appointed)	Philip Meaney (Chair)	12/04/2011	Four of the Ordinary Members of the Board appointed submitted ‘expressions of interest’	0
			Matt Murphy	2/12/2011
			Brendan Moore	2/12/2011
			Tim Gilbert	2/12/2011
			Tony McNamee	2/12/2011
			William O’Dwyer	12/06/2012
Coillte	9	5 (including the Chair) (1 female appointed)	Brendan McKenna (Chair)	8/10/2012 – Retired from Board with effect from 27/11/2013	Two appointments were from ‘expressions of interest’	5
			Oliver McCabe	24/10/2011 – Resigned from Board with effect from 1/11/2012
			David Gunning	25/05/2012 Term of appointment Expired 19/03/2013
			Julie Murphy O’Connor	24/06/2013
			John Moloney	9/10/2013
Horse Racing Ireland	14	6 (including the Chair) (3 females appointed)	Joe Keeling (Chair)	13 March 2013	Ordinary Members of the Board were appointed following their nomination by stakeholder groups in accordance with legislation	0
			Noel Meade	8/2/2012
			Neville O’Byrne	8/2/2012
			Mary O’Connor	8/2/12
			Meta Osbourne	18/12/2013
			Eimear Mulhearn	18/12/2013
Irish National Stud	7	6 (including the Chair) (1 female appointed)	Matt Dempsey (Chair)	28/02/2013	Four of the Directors appointed had submitted ‘expressions of interest’	0
			John Tuite	25/10/2013
			Seamus Boyle	25/10/2013
			Mark Weld	29/10/2013
			Kate Horgan	29/10/2013
			Paul Shelley	8/03/2011
Marine Institute	9	4 (1 female appointed)	Paul Hyde	1/06/2012	Three appointemntments were made from 'expressions of interest'	2
			David Owen	4/12/2012
			Professor Patricia Barker	19/02/ 2013
			Donal Kelly	15/04/2013
Sea Fisheries	3	2 (1 female appointed)	Micheál O Mahony	1/01/2013	Two appointments were from ‘expressions of interest’	0
			Dr. Susan Steele	4/03/2013
Teagasc	11	8 (including the Chair) (1 female appointed)	Dr. Noel Cawley (Chair)	17 September 2013 (re-appointment)	Three appointments were from ‘expressions of interest’	0
			Thomas Cooke	5/10/2011
			Dr Karina Pierce	9/01/2013
			Brendan Gleeson	9/01/2013
			Tom Tynan	9/01/2013
			Mr. Padraig Gibbons	15/09/2013) (re-appointment)
			Mr. Alan Jagoe	15 September 2013
			Professor Gerald Fitzgerald	15 September 2013
Veterinary Council	19	6 (2 females appointed)	Michael Sheahan	1 January 2012	None	0
			Peadair Ó Scanaill	1 January 2012
			Michael Sadlier	1 January 2012
			Deirdre Campion	1 January 2012
			Martin Blake	21 December 2011
			Crionna Creagh*	27 August 2012

No appointments to the following State Bodies have been made since March 2011:

· National Milk Agency – members elected rather than appointed

Directors of State Bodies who are officials of the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine do not receive board fees.

* Appointed directly by the Minister as provided under Section 17 (2) of the Veterinary Practice Act 2005 as the National Consumer Agency chose not to furnish a nomination