Appointments to State Boards

Dáil Éireann Debate, Friday - 16 September 2016

Friday, 16 September 2016

Ceisteanna (1837)

Brendan Ryan

Ceist:

1837. Deputy Brendan Ryan asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the list of all vacancies that existed on 26 February 2016 and all positions that have arisen since, including the date it became vacant, for State boards or governing bodies under his control; the names of those appointed since the Government was formed; if the position was advertised and a short list provided to him by the Public Appointments Service; if the appointments were approved by the Cabinet; the positions under his control which are not subject to the PAS system; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26090/16]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport

On the 26 February, there were 36 vacancies on the State Boards under the remit of my Department.  A list of these vacancies can be found on my Department's website at the following link State Board Membership. (While Wicklow Port Company is listed in this table, responsibility for the port was transferred to Wicklow Council Council on 30 August 2016).

Since February 2016, 12 vacancies have arisen in the State Boards within my remit. Details are in the table below.  

Since the Government was formed, I have made four re-appointments as follows: Mr. Frank Allen to the board of Iarnrod Éireann, Mr. Páidraig Ó Riordáin as Chairperson of daa plc and both Mr. Eddie Rock and Ms. Áine Carroll to the Board of the Road Safety Authority.

Board appointments are generally made in accordance with the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform Guidelines on State Board Appointments. Under these Guidelines, the Public Appointments Service (PAS) advertises vacancies on the State Boards portal, www.stateboards.ie, is responsible for establishing Assessment Panels to assess all applications, and notifies my Department of all candidates that meet the advertised criteria. Where a re-appointment is proposed the PAS process does not apply.

In relation to all other vacancies on Boards under my remit, I am currently considering means by which the appointment processes can be enhanced to ensure, in so far as possible, the best appointments are made to these Boards. 

Chairpersons of the Boards of the CIE Group are the only appointments under my Department's remit that are subject to Cabinet approval.

Section 9 of the Guidelines on Appointments to State Boards lists the exceptions to the PAS process.

   Table: Vacancies that have arisen since 26 February 2016

-	Date
daa plc x2	13/05/2016
	18/07/2016
IAA	23/05/2016
Shannon Group	31/05/2016
Dublin Port	25/07/2016
Galway Harbour x2	23/07/2016
	23/07/2016
New Ross	23/07/2016
Bus Átha Cliath	08/09/2016
Iarnrod Éireann	08/09/2016
Road Safety Authority x2	13/09/2016