Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 14 October 2014
363. Deputy Terence Flanagan asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources if he will provide a list of all State board appointments since the general election in 2011; the person who recommended each appointment; the credentials of those appointed; if the vacancy was publicly advertised; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39277/14]
Amharc ar fhreagraThis Government, almost immediately on establishment, made important changes in relation to appointments to State Boards with new arrangements widening the opportunity to participate on such Boards by extending a wide invitation for people to submit expressions of interest to serve on the boards of public bodies. In accordance with the Government Decision of 12 April 2011, my predecessor commenced a process of seeking, on the Department’s website, expressions of Interest from persons wishing to be considered for appointment to vacancies on State Boards under the aegis of this Department. This information has been used to inform decisions for such appointments, but I would stress that such invitations are designed to extend the range of suitable persons from which a Minister might make appointments, not to constrain it. While appointments are made by the relevant Minister, I would add that appointments to Boards also include nominations, provided for by statute, by Committees of the Oireachtas, worker directors and ex-officio positions. While the precise structure varies from body to body, in total this can amount to a significant proportion of the Board in certain instances.
All appointments are made in light of the applicable legislative requirements, objectives of the organisation and on the basis of appointees having the necessary competencies, expertise and experience to contribute effectively to the work of the particular boards.
In 2011 there were 31 applications received following the advertisement for Expressions of Interest from which 3 appointments were made. In 2012 there were 37 applications received following the advertisement for Expressions of Interest from which 5 appointments were made. In the current 2013/2014 call for Expressions of Interest there have been 120 applications received to date following the advertisement for Expressions of Interest from which 9 appointments were made.
There have been 114 appointments made to State Boards under the aegis of my Department in the period March 2011 to date. The percentage of these appointments filled from the Expressions of Interest received amounts to 15%. It should be noted that about 30% of the appointments made were either ex-officio appointments, reappointments, the appointment of worker directors chosen by election, or appointments made from nominations made by an Oireachtas Committee.
On 30 September, the Minister of Public Expenditure and Reform announced further steps to strengthen the process of Board appointments and my Department will be liaising with the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform to ensure that procedures are in line with the new measures proposed.
The table lists all appointments to State Boards under the aegis of this Department since 9 March 2011.
|
Body |
Appointee |
|
An Post |
Mr Donal Connell CEO (ex officio) reappointed Mr Christoph Mueller (Chairperson)Mr James Wrynn Mr Paul Henry Mr Noel Adamson (worker director) Mr Patrick Compton (worker director reappointed) Mr Thomas Devlin (worker director reappointed) Mr William Mooney (worker director) Ms Martina O’Connell (worker director) Mr William Scally Ms Lorraine Tormey *Mr Tom O’Brien Ms. Jennifer Loftus Mr Ed Murray |
|
Bord na Móna |
Ms Denise Cronin *Mr. John Horgan (appointed as member and later appointed as Chairperson) Mr Gerard O’Donoghue Ms Elaine Treacy Mr Barry Walsh Mr Gabriel D’Arcy (Director ex officio) reappointed Mr John V Farrrelly *Mr Denis Leonard Mr Paschal Maher (elected employee member) |
|
Ervia (formerly Bord Gais Eireann) |
Mr Finbarr Kennelly Mr Michael McNicholas (CEO ex officio) Ms Rose Hynes Chairperson (reappointed) Ms Mari Hurley Mr Joe O’Flynn (SIPTU union representative) Ms Jacqueline Hall Mr Laurence Crowley (reappointed) |
|
Broadcasting Authority of Ireland |
Mr Seamus Martin |
|
RTE |
Mr Noel Curran (Director General) (reappointed) |
|
EirGrid |
Dr Gary Healy *Ms Regina Moran *Mr Liam O’Halloran Ms Bride Rosney Ms Doireann Barry (staff representative) Mr Fintan Slye (CEO ex officio) Dr Joan Smyth (reappointed) Mr Richard Sterling (reappointed) Mr John O’Connor (Chairperson) |
|
ESB |
Mr Lochlann Quinn (Chairman – reappointed) Mr Pat O’Doherty (CEO ex officio) Ms Noreen Wright Mr Seamus Mallon (reappointed) Ms Anne Butler *Ms Noreen O’Kelly |
|
Irish National Petroleum Corporation (INPC) |
Mr Sean Fitzgerald (reappointed) Mr Vincent Caffrey (reappointed) Ms Aoife MacEvilly **(2 reappointments) Mr Aidan Donnelly–Chairperson (2 reappointments) Mr Pat Meehan CEO (ex officio) |
|
National Oil Reserves Agency (NORA) |
Ms Aoife MacEvilly ** Mr Pat Meehan CEO (ex officio) (reappointed) Mr Aidan Donnelly – Chairperson (reappointed) Mr Oliver Whelan (reappointed) *Mr Terry Nolan Mr Hugh O’Donnell |
|
TG4 |
Mr. Micheál Seoighe Ms. Mairad Ní Cheoinín *Mr. Joe Connolly *Mr. Des Geraghty Ms. Andra Ní alaithe Ms Mairead Nic Suibhne Ms. Michelle Ní Chróinín Siún Ní Raghallaigh (Chairperson) |
|
Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) |
*Ms Julie O’Neill (appointed and then reappointed) Dr. Edgar Morgenroth (appointed and then reappointed) Mr. Michael Conlon Ms. Anne Farrell (appointed and then reappointed) Mr. Declan Waugh Ms. Michelle Green (appointed and then reappointed) Mr. Brian Carroll ** (reappointed) Mr. Brendan Halligan (re-appointed) (Chairperson) Dr Brian Motherway CEO (ex officio) Mr Pat Gilroy Mr Michael McGarry Ms Anne Connolly |
|
Digital Hub Development Agency (DHDA) |
* Mr. Paul Holden (appointed as member and then as Chairperson) Mr. Seamus Ratigan Mr Leonard Donnelly (Chairperson - reappointed) Mr Brendan McDonagh (appointed and then reappointed) Ms Alice Davis (reappointed) Mr Philip Maguire (DCC Member) Mr Owen Keegan (DCC Member) *Ms Claire Duignan Ms Katherine Licken** (reappointed) Ms Edel Flynn (CEO ex officio) |
|
Ordnance Survey Ireland (OSi) |
Mr. Ronan O’Reilly (Chairperson) Ms. Anne Butler Mr. Robin Simpson Dr. Enda Howley Dr. Denis Kelliher Ms. Marion Coy Mr. Justin Gleeson Ms Sandra Ryan *Mr. Padraic Jordan Mr. Oliver Hickey Mr Noel Ward |
|
Inland Fisheries Ireland |
*Mr Fintan Gorman*** *Mr Peter J Nally *Mr Martin McEnroe *Mr Niall Greene |
|
The Mining Board |
Mr Michael Neary (reappointed) Mr Michael MacGrath S.C. (Chairperson) reappointed |
*Expression of Interest received
**DCENR staff representative
*** This appointment was made by the Minister of State on the nomination of the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government
