Brian Cowen (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)
I propose to take Questions Nos. 5 to 8, inclusive, together.
The information sought by the Deputies concerning appointments made by me or my predecessor to State boards and agencies under the aegis of my Department since June 2002 is set out in the following tables. The relevant bodies are the National Statistics Board, the Law Reform Commission, the National Economic and Social Development Office, the National Centre for Partnership and Performance, the National Economic and Social Council and the National Economic and Social Forum.
The members of State bodies under the aegis of my Department are appointed through well established nominating procedures, which are outlined in the National Economic and Social Development Office Act 2006, having regard to the remits of the bodies and consequently the particular competencies and skills expected of their members. In many instances, the members are nominated through relevant nominating panels. NESC and NESF, for example, comprise representatives of the various pillars involved in social partnership; that is, employer bodies, trade unions, farming organisations and community and voluntary organisations. The procedures for appointing the members of the National Statistics Board are outlined in the Statistics Act 1993. Therefore, any change to these procedures may require a change in the law.
Additional information not given on the floor of the House.
| Boards and agencies under the aegis of the Department of the Taoiseach |
| Name of Board |
| 1 | The National Statistics Board |
| 2 | The Law Reform Commission |
| 3 | The National Economic and Social Development Office |
| 4 | The National Centre for Partnership and Performance |
| 5 | The National Economic and Social Council |
| 6 | The National Economic and Social Forum |
| 7 | Ireland Newfoundland Partnership Board |
| National Statistics Board |
| Role | Name | Occupation | Date of Appointment |
| Chairperson | Professor emeritus Brendan Walsh | Professor of Economics, UCD | February 2004; reappointed July 2007 |
| Government Departments | Dr. Patricia O'Hara | Western Development Commission | February 2004; reappointed July 2007 |
| Ms Mary Doyle | Department of the Taoiseach | February 2004; reappointed July 2007 |
| Mr. Derek Moran | Department of Finance | February 2004 |
| Mr. Michael McGrath | Department of Finance | July 2007 |
| Trade Union Pillar | Ms Paula Carey | ICTU | February 2004 |
| Mr. Paul Sweeney | ICTU | September 2006; reappointed July 2007 |
| Farming Pillar | Mr. Ciaran Dolan | ICMSA | February 2004 |
| Mr. Con Lucey | IFA | July 2007 |
| Business Pillar | Mr. Frank Cunneen | IBEC | February 2004 |
| Mr. Danny McCoy | IBEC | July 2007 |
| Ex officio members | Mr. Donal Garvey | Director General, CSO | February 2004; reappointed July 2007 |
| Mr. Gerry O'Hanlon | Director General, CSO | August 2007 |
| Law Reform Commission |
| Name | Occupation | Date of Appointment |
| President | Mrs. Justice Catherine McGuinness | Judge of the Supreme Court | 22 February 2005 |
| Commissioner (Full-time) | Patricia T. Rickard-Clarke | Solicitor | 15 April 1997 (part-time); |
| Commissioner (Part-time) | Dr. Hilary A. Delaney, BL | Senior Lecturer in Law, TCD | 15 April 1997; reappointed 15 April, 2002.
Resigned May 2005 |
| Commissioner (Part-time) | Professor Finbarr McAuley, BCL, LLB, MPhil, LLD | Jean Monnet Professor of European Criminal Justice, UCD | 1 September 1999;
reappointed 1 September 2004; reappointed 1 September 2007 |
| Commissioner (Part-time) | Marian Shanley | Solicitor | 13 November 2001; reappointed 12 November 2004; reappointed 1 September 2007 |
| Senior Counsel (Part-time) | Donal O'Donnell | Senior Counsel | 28 June 2005 (replaced Dr. Hilary A. Delaney, BL); reappointed 1 September 2007 |
| National Economic and Social Development Office |
| Name | Occupation/Organisation | Date of Membership |
| Chairperson | Mr. Dermot McCarthy | Secretary General, Department of the Taoiseach; Chairperson, NESC | 1 January 2007 |
| Ms Mary Doyle | Assistant Secretary General, Department of the Taoiseach; Deputy Chairperson, NESC and NESF | 1 January 2007 |
| Dr. Maureen Gaffney | Chairperson, NESF | 1 January 2007 |
| Mr. Peter Cassells, | Chairperson, NCPP | 1 January 2007 |
| Mr. Philip Kelly | Assistant Secretary General, Department of the Taoiseach; Deputy Chairperson,NCPP | 1 January 2007 |
| National Centre for Partnership and National Centre for Partnership and Performance (NCPP) |
| Current Council | Replaced | Occupation / Organisation | Date ofAppointment |
| Executive Chairperson | Mr. Peter Cassells | | | October 2001-April 2004; reappointed 7 November 2005 |
| Government Departments | Mr. Philip Kelly, Asst. Secretary Deputy Chairperson | | Department of the Taoiseach | October 2001;reappointed 24 January 2006 |
| Mr. Brendan Duffy,Asst. Secretary | Ciaran Connolly (who was appointed in October 2001 and reappointed in January 2006) | Department of Finance | 10 July 2008 |
| Mr. Dermot CurranAsst. Secretary | Mr. John Walsh, Asst. Secretary (appointed in June 2002 {replaced Mr. Maurice Cashell} and reappointed in January 2006) | Department of Enterprise, Tradeand Employment | 10 July 2008 |
| Employers | Mr. Brendan McGinty | | Director, Human/Industrial Resources, IBEC | October 2001; reappointed 24 January 2006 |
| Ms Mary Connaughton | Mr. Gavin Marie ({replaced Mr. Liam Doherty in April 2007} appointed in October 2001 and reappointed 24 January 2006) | HR Development, IBEC | 10 July 2008 |
| Mr. Eddie Keenan | Mr. Morgan Nolan {replaced Mr. Terry McEvoy} appointed in Jan 2004 | Industrial Relations, CIF | 24 January 2006 |
| Ms Irene Canavan | Marie Moynihan, IBEC (appointed in October 2001) | | 24 January 2006 |
| National Centre for Partnership and National Centre for Partnership and Performance (NCPP) — continued |
| Current Council | Replaced | Occupation / Organisation | Date ofAppointment |
| Trade Unions | Mr. Fergus Whelan | Replaced Mr. Tom Wall, ICTU | Industrial Officer, ICTU | October 2003; reappointed 24 January 2006 |
| Mr. Jerry Shanahan | Ms Angela Kirk, IMPACT (appointed in September 2004 {replaced Ms Marie Levis}) | AMICUS | 24 January 2006 |
| Ms Catherine Byrne | Mr. Des Geraghty, ICTU (appointed in September 2004 {replaced Mr John Tierney MSF}) | INTO | 24 January 2006 |
| Mr. Gerry McCormack | | SIPTU | 24 January 2006 |
| Independent Members | Prof. Joyce O'Connor | | National College of Ireland | 24 January 2006 |
| Ms Dorothy Butler Scally | | Human Resources Consultant | 24 January 2006 |
| Dr. Catherine Kavanagh | | UCC | 24 January 2006 |
| National Economic and Social Council (NESC) |
| Name | Occupation / Organisation | Dates of Membership |
| Chairperson | Mr. Dermot McCarthy | Secretary General, Department of the Taoiseach | September 2003 |
| Deputy Chair | Ms Mary Doyle | Assistant Secretary, Department of the Taoiseach | September 2003 |
| Trade Union Pillar | | | |
| Mr. David Begg | General Secretary, ICTU | September 2003 |
| Mr. Peter McLoone | General Secretary, IMPACT | September 2003 |
| Mr. Manus O'Riordan | Economist, SIPTU | September 2003 |
| Ms Joan Carmichael | Assistant General Secretary, ICTU | September 2003 |
| Ms Sally Anne Kinahan (replaced Joan Carmichael) | Assistant General Secretary, ICTU | January 2004 |
| Mr. Jack O'Connor | Vice President, SIPTU | September 2003 |
| National Economic and Social Council (NESC) — continued |
| Name | Occupation / Organisation | Dates of Membership |
| Business and Employer or Organisation Pillar | | | |
| Mr. Turlough O'Sullivan | Director General, IBEC | June 2007 |
| Ms Siobhan Masterson (replaced Aileen O'Donoghue) Ms Aileen O'Donoghue | Director, Financial Services Ireland | September 2008 |
| Mr. Brian Geoghegan | Director, IBEC | September 2003 |
| Mr. Danny McCoy (replaced Brian Geoghegan) | Director of Policy, IBEC | October 2005 |
| Mr. John Dunne | Chief Executive, Chambers of Commerce Ireland | September 2003 |
| Mr. Tom Parlon (replaced Liam Kelleher)Mr. Liam Kelleher | Director General, Construction Industry Federation | September 2008 |
| Agricultural and Farming Organisation Pillar | | | |
| Mr. Seamus O'Donoghue | Secretary, ICOS | September 2003 |
| Mr. Ciaran Dolan | General Secretary, ICMSA | September 2003 |
| Mr. Michael Berkery | General Secretary, IFA | September 2003 |
| Mr. Eddie Punch | General Secretary, ICSA | June 2007 |
| Mr. Damien McDonald | Chief Executive, Macra na Féirme | September 2003 |
| Mr. Colm Markey | National President, Macra na Féirme | June 2007 |
| Community and Voluntary Pillar | | | |
| Fr. Sean Healy | Head of Justice Office, CORI | September 2003 |
| Mr. Donall Geoghegan | Programme Manager, National Youth Council | September 2002 |
| Mr. John Dolan | Chief Executive, Disability Federation of Ireland | September 2003 |
| Ms Deirdre Garvey | Chief Executive, the Wheel | September 2003 |
| Mr. John Mark McCafferty | Policy Officer, Saint Vincent de Paul | September 2003 |
| National Economic and Social Council (NESC) — continued |
| Name | Occupation / Organisation | Dates of Membership |
| Mr. Séamus Boland | Chief Executive, Irish Rural Link | June 2007 |
| Ms Brid O'Brien | Senior Policy Officer, Irish National Organisation of the Unemployed | June 2007 |
| Ms Camille Loftus | Community Platform | June 2007 |
| Government Department Nominees | | | |
| Secretary General | Department of Finance | September 2003 |
| Secretary General | Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment | September 2003 |
| Secretary General | Department of Social and Family Affairs | September 2003 |
| Secretary General | Department of Communications, Marine and Natural Resources | September 2003 |
| Secretary General | Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government | September 2003 |
| Secretary General | Department of Education and Science | June 2007 |
| Independent Nominee | | | |
| Prof. John Fitzgerald | Senior Research Officer, ESRI | September 2003 |
| Prof. Eithne McLaughlin | Department of Social Policy, Queens University, Belfast | September 2003 |
| Mr. Colin Hunt | Head of Research, Goodbody Stockbrokers | September 2003 |
| Dr. Peter Bacon | Economic Consultant | September 2003 |
| Prof. Brigid Laffan | Department of Politics, UCD | September 2003 |
| Dr. Sean Barrett (replaced Colin Hunt) | Department of Economics, Trinity College | January 2005 |
| Mr. Con Lucey | Economist,IFA | June 2007 |
| Prof. Peter Clinch (resigned June 2008) | UCD | June 2007 |
| Prof. Elizabeth Meehan | Queen's University | June 2007 |
| Terms of office of NESC relevant to this question: |
| (a) 1998-2001 (extended to 2002) |
| (b) 2003-2006 |
| (c) 2007-2010. |
| National Economic and Social Forum |
| Name | Occupation / Organisation | Date of Appointment |
| Independent Chairperson | Maureen Gaffney | | January/February 2004 May 2007 |
| Deputy Chairperson | Ms Mary Doyle | Asst. Sec., Department of the Taoiseach | January/February 2004 May 2007 |
| Strand (i): Oireachtas | Deputy Michael Woods | Fianna Fáil TD | January/February 2004 |
| Deputy John Curran | Fianna Fáil TD | January/February 2004 |
| Senator Mary O'Rourke | Fianna Fáil | January/February 2004 |
| Senator Paschal Mooney | Fianna Fáil | January/February 2004 |
| Senator Brendan Daly | Fianna Fáil | January/February 2004 |
| Senator Geraldine Feeney | Fianna Fáil | January/February 2004 |
| Deputy Pat Carey | Fianna Fáil TD | January/February 2004 |
| Senator Paul Coghlan | Fine Gael | January/February 2004 |
| Deputy Damien English | Fine Gael TD | January/February 2004 |
| Deputy Paul Kehoe | Fine Gael TD | January/February 2004 |
| Deputy Joan Burton | Labour TD | January/February 2004 |
| Deputy Willie Penrose | Labour TD | January/February 2004 |
| Senator Kate Walsh | Progressive Democrats | January/February 2004 |
| Senator Feargal Quinn | Independents | January/February 2004 |
| Mr. Jerry Cowley | Technical Group TD | January/February 2004 |
| Senator Maria Corrigan | Fianna Fail | Replaced John Curran August 2008 |
| Senator Marc MacSharry | Fianna Fail | December 07 |
| Senator Brian O Domhaill | Fianna Fail | December 07 |
| Deputy John Curran | Fianna Fail | December 07-August 2008 |
| Deputy Michael McGrath | Fianna Fail | December 07 |
| Senator Geraldine Feeney | Fianna Fail | December 07 |
| Deputy Cyprian Brady | Fianna Fail | December 07 |
| Deputy Sean Ardagh | Fianna Fail | December 07 |
| Deputy Sean Sherlock | Labour | December 07 |
| National Economic and Social Forum — continued |
| Name | Occupation / Organisation | Date of Appointment |
| Deputy Willie Penrose | Labour | December 07 |
| Deputy Dan Neville | Fine Gael | December 07 |
| Deputy Terence Flanagan | Fine Gael | December 07 |
| Senator Paul Coghlan | Fine Gael | December 07 |
| Senator Jerry Buttimer | Fine Gael | December 07 |
| Senator Dan Boyle | Green | December 07 |
| Senator Rónán Mullen | Independents | December 07 |
| Strand (ii): Employer/Trade Unions | | | |
| Employer/Business Organisations | Ms Jackie Harrison | IBEC | January/February 2004 |
| Ms Maria Cronin | IBEC | October/November 2004 (replaced Jackie Harrison) |
| Mr. Danny McCoy | IBEC | May 2007 |
| Mr. Tony Donohue | IBEC | September 2006 (replaced Maria Cronin) May 2007 |
| Ms Heidi Lougheed | IBEC | January/February 2004 |
| Ms Patricia Callan | Small Firms Association | January/February 2004May 2007 |
| Mr. Kevin Gilna | Construction Industry Federation | January/February 2004 |
| Dr. Peter Stafford | Construction Industry Federation | replace Kevin Gilna Oct 05 May 2007 |
| Mr. Robert O'Shea | Chambers of Commerce/Tourist Industry/Exporters Association | January/February 2004 |
| Mr. Sean Murphy | Chambers of Commerce/Tourist Industry/Exporters Association | replaced Robert O'Shea August 2005 May 2007 |
| National Economic and Social Forum — continued |
| Name | Occupation / Organisation | Date of Appointment |
| Trade Unions | Mr. Eamon Devoy | Technical Engineering and Electrical Union | January/February 2004 May 2007 |
| Mr. Blair Horan | Civil and Public Service Union | January/February 2004 May 2007 |
| Mr. Jerry Shanahan | AMICUS | January/February 2004 May 2007 |
| Mr. Manus O'Riordan | SIPTU | January/February 2004 May 2007 |
| Ms Paula Carey | ICTU | January/February 2004 |
| Ms Esther Lynch | ICTU | Sept 2006 (Replaced Paula Carey) May 2007 |
| Agricultural/Farming Organisations | Ms Mary McGreal | Irish Farmers Association | January/February 2004 |
| Mr. Michael Doody | Irish Creamery Milk Suppliers Association | January/February 2004 May 2007 |
| Ms Mary Johnson | Irish Co-Operative Organisation Society | January/February 2004 |
| Ms Carmel Brennan | Macra na Feirme | January/February 2004 |
| Ms Anne Murray | Irish Country Women's Association | January/February 2004 |
| Ms Carmel Dawson | Irish Country Women's Association | June 2006 (Replaced Anne Murray) May 2007 |
| Ms Emer Duffy | Irish Co-Operative Organisation Society | May 2007 |
| Mr. Michael Berkery | General Secretary IFA | May 2007 |
| Ms Catherine Buckley | Macra na Feirme | May 2007 |
| Strand (iii) Community and Voluntary Sector | | | |
| Women's Organisations | Ms Orla O' Connor | National Women's Council of Ireland | January/February 2004 May 2007 |
| Ms Joanna McMinn | National Women's Council of Ireland | January/February 2004 |
| Unemployed | Ms June Tinsley | INOU | January/February 2004 |
| Mr. John Farrell | INOU | replaced June Tinsley Oct 05 |
| Ms Patricia Short | ICTU Centres for the Unemployed | January/February 2004 |
| Disadvantaged | Sr. Brigid Reynolds | CORI | January/February 2004 May 2007 |
| Mr. John-Mark McCafferty | Society of Saint Vincent de Paul | January/February 2004 May 2007 |
| Ms Audrey Deane | Society of Saint Vincent de Paul | Nov 2004 (replaced John-Mark McCafferty) |
| Ms Sharon Keane | Anti-Poverty Networks | January/February 2004 |
| Mr. Joe Gallagher | Anti-Poverty Networks | replaced Sharon Keane Sept 2005 |
| Youth/Children | Mr. Malcolm Byrne | NYCI | January/February 2004 |
| Ms Marie Claire McAleer | NYCI | replaced Malcolm Byrne Sept 2004 |
| National Economic and Social Forum — continued |
| Name | Occupation / Organisation | Date of Appointment |
| Mr. Raymond Dooley | Children's Rights Alliance | January/February 2004 |
| Ms Jillian Van Turnhout | Children's Rights Alliance | replaced Raymond Dooley Aug 2005 May 2007 |
| Older People | Mr. Robin Webster | National Council for Ageing and Older People/Senior Citizen's Parliament/Age Action | January/February 2004 |
| Others | Mr. Frank Goodwin | The Carers Association | January/February 2004 May 2007 |
| Mr. Seamus Boland | Irish Rural Link | January/February 2004 May 2007 |
| Mr. Fergus O'Ferrall | The Wheel | January/February 2004 |
| Mr. Ivan Cooper | The Wheel | May 2007 |
| Ms Brid O' Brien | Pavee Point | January/February 2004 |
| Ms Aisling Walsh | Disability Federation of Ireland | January/February 2004 |
| Ms Joanne McCarthy | Disability Federation of Ireland | replaced Aisling Walsh in 2006 May 2007 |
| Mr. Michael O'Halloran | Chief Executive Officer Irish Senior Citizens Parliament | May 2007 |
| Ms Máiréad Hayes | Chief Executive Officer Irish Senior Citizens Parliament | November 2007 |
| Ms Marie Claire McAleer | National Youth Council of Ireland | May 2007 |
| Ms Karen Murphy | Irish Council for Social Housing Head of Services | May 2007 |
| Ms Frances Byrne | OPEN | May 2007 |
| Ms Kathleen McCann | Congress Centres Network | May 2007 |
| Mr. Stavros Stavrou | Integrating Ireland | May 2007 |
| Ms Maria Joyce | National Traveller Women's Forum | May 2007 |
| National Economic and Social Forum — continued |
| Name | Occupation / Organisation | Date of Appointment |
| Strand (iv) Central Government, Local Government and Independents | | | |
| Central Government | Secretary General | Department Finance | January/February 2004 May 2007 |
| Secretary General | Department Enterprise, Trade and Employment | January/February 2004 May 2007 |
| Secretary General | Department Social and Family Affairs | January/February 2004 May 2007 |
| Secretary General | Department Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs | January/February 2004 May 2007 |
| Secretary General | Department Environment, Heritage and Local Government | January/February 2004 May 2007 |
| Local Government | Councillor John Egan | General Council of County Councils | January/February 2004 |
| Councillor Ger Barron | General Council of County Councils | Nov 2004 (replaced Cllr. John Egan) May 2007 |
| Councillor Patsy Treanor | General Council of County Councils | January/February 2004 |
| Councillor Jack Crowe | General Council of County Councils | Nov 2004 (replaced Cllr Patsy Treanor) |
| Councillor Constance Hanniffy | General Council of County Councils | January/February 2004 May 2007 |
| Councillor Patricia McCarthy | Association of Municipal Authorities | January/February 2004 |
| Donal O'Donoghue | County and City Managers Association | January/February 2004 |
| John Tierney | County and City Managers Association | Nov 2004 (replaced Donal O'Donoghue) |
| Councillor Mattie Ryan | Association of County and City Councils | May 2007 |
| Councillor Paddy O'Callaghan | Association of Municipal Authorities of Ireland | May 2007 |
| Councillor William Ireland | Local Authorities Members Association | May 2007 |
| Independents | Dr. Colm Harmon | Institute for the Study of Social Change, UCD | January/February 2004 May 2007 |
| Dr. Mary P. Corcoran | Department of Sociology | January/February 2004 May 2007 |
| Dr. Brian Nolan | ESRI | January/February 2004 |
| Mr. Paul Tansey | Tansey, Webster, Stewart and Company Ltd. | January/February 2004 |
| Ms Cait Keane | South Dublin County Council | January/February 2004 May 2007-November 2008 [No replacement] |
| Ms Marie Carroll | Southside Partnership | May 2007 |
| Professor Rose Ann Kenny | TCD | May 2007 |
See this speech in context
No comments