Michael Ring
Ceist:562. Deputy Michael Ring asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if all vacancies (details supplied) are advertised; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19820/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraWednesday, 21 April 2021
Ceisteanna (562, 563)
Michael Ring
Ceist:563. Deputy Michael Ring asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if any person can apply for a position (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19875/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
I propose to take Questions Nos. 562 and 563 together.
While it remains the responsibility of each Minister to appoint members to the State Boards under the aegis of their respective Departments, in 2014 the Government announced a revised model for appointments to State Boards which sets out that all appointments should be advertised openly on the State Boards portal operated by the Public Appointments Service.
In 2014 the then Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform also issued Guidelines on Appointments to State Boards which refer. As set out in Section 9 of the Guidelines there are a number of specific exceptions where it is open to Ministers to appoint Board members other than strictly in accordance with the State Boards process.
The approach to State Board appointments has the following key principles at its core:
- the open promotion of opportunities on State Boards to the widest possible pool of candidates with the relevant attributes;
- ambitious targets in relation to continued diversification of State Boards composition;
- the establishment of detailed and comprehensive criteria for State Board appointments; and
- the introduction of transparent and rigorous assessment of candidates for State Board appointments against these criteria.
The Guidelines on Appointments to State Boards have recently been enhanced with the development of a new Annex on Gender Balance, Diversity, and Inclusion, which I launched last September in order to supplement the existing Code of Practice for the Governance of State Bodies. It is intended that this will contribute towards further improvements in diversity amongst the membership of individual State Boards.
While appointments to the State Boards under the aegis of my Department must also reflect a number of specific criteria set out in legislation, applications are welcome from all individuals who believe they have the relevant skills and experience for vacancies as they arise.
Further details of the new Annex and the Guidelines can be obtained on my Department's website.