Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 7 February 2018
79. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Taoiseach the persons on State boards, that under the aegis of his Department, who also serve on other State boards; and the persons on State boards, under the aegis of his Department, who have previously served on other State boards. [6470/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe specific information sought in relation to membership of other State boards or previous boards is not held in my Department.
I appoint members to the National Economic and Social Council (NESC) under the National Economic and Social Development Office Act 2006 and the NESC (Alteration of Composition) Order 2010 - SI 603/ 2010.
I also appoint members to the National Statistics Board under the Statistics Act 1993.
As set out in the legislation, most of these board appointments are made on the basis of nominations from third party organisations or are public servants appointed in connection with their role and responsibilities.
In the case of the NESC, the legislation provides that I appoint members on the nomination of the organisations and interests set out, i.e. business and employer, ICTU, farming and agriculture, community and voluntary and environmental sectors, public servants and independent members. The public servants are mainly Secretaries General and must include a representative of my Department and the Department of Finance.
Four vacancies remain in the independent members category. These vacancies will be filled in accordance with the process set out in the Guidelines on Appointments to State Boards and have been advertised on stateboards.ie
The Statistics Act 1993 provides for an eight member National Statistics Board, including the Director General of the CSO, ex officio, and an Assistant Secretary from my Department and the Department of Finance.
Two members are nominated by the Taoiseach and three by organisations representative of the users of official statistics and providers of information under the Act.
Further details in relation to the composition and membership of state boards generally is available on www.stateboards.ie. The current membership of the National Economic and Social Council and the National Statistics Board is as follows:
National Economic and Social Council
Martin Fraser, Secretary General, Department of the Taoiseach (Chair)
Elizabeth Canavan, Assistant Secretary, Department of the Taoiseach (Deputy Chair)
Maeve McElwee, IBEC
Tom Parlon, CIF
Ian Talbot, Chambers Ireland
Patricia King, ICTU
Tom Geraghty, PSEU
Shay Cody, IMPACT
Damien McDonald, IFA
John Enright, ICMSA
TJ Flanagan, ICOS
Sean Healy, Social Justice Ireland
Brid O’Brien, INOU
James Doorley, NYCI
Kate Ruddock, Friends of the Earth
Oonagh Duggan, Birdwatch Ireland
Michael Ewing, Irish Environmental Network
Derek Moran, Department of Finance
Robert Watt, Department of Public Expenditure and Reform
Orlaigh Quinn, Department of Business, Enterprise and Innovation
John McCarthy, Department of Housing, Planning and Local Government
Edgar Morgenroth, ESRI
Michelle Norris, UCD
Philip Hamell, Department of the Taoiseach
National Statistics Board
Dr. Patricia O'Hara, Chairperson
Dr. Eimear Cotter, Director of the Office of Environmental Sustainability
Mr. Gerard Brady, Senior Economist, IBEC
Mr. John Martin, Consultant; former OECD Director for Employment, Labour & Social Affairs
Mr. Gerard O'Neill, Chairman, Amárach Research
Mr. John Shaw, Assistant Secretary, Department of the Taoiseach
Mr. John McCarthy, Department of Finance
Mr. Pádraig Dalton, Director General, Central Statistics Office.
