Eamon Ryan (Dublin South, Green Party)

The paragraph under discussion obliges the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources to provide the joint Oireachtas committee with a statement indicating the relevant experience and expertise of persons appointed to the board of Inland Fisheries Ireland on the nomination of the Minister himself, the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government and the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs. The purpose of this provision is to ensure that the committee is fully informed as to the qualifications and experience of the persons appointed to the board so that it can ensure an appropriate balance of skill sets in making its nominations.

It is the intention under the legislation that the persons in question will be identified and announced at the earliest date possible so that Inland Fisheries Ireland can be established without delay. Deputy McManus's amendment No. 15 would only serve to delay these appointments to the board and, accordingly, I cannot accept the amendment. Having taken on board Deputy Coveney's remarks on Committee Stage, I am proposing to amend this section to ensure that the joint Oireachtas committee has an input into the statement to be provided by the Minister on his or her appointees. While I cannot accept Deputy Coveney's amendment No. 16, I trust he will find my amendment No. 17 satisfactory.

The arrangement for appointments to the board is complex, certainly more complex than the old fashioned process where it was for a Minister alone to make all appointments to a board. However, it is right that there should be a combination of Ministers involved because it is important that we stitch in community development and environmental assessment. We must learn the lessons of our experience in regard to the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland, the chief of which are the need for much greater communication from all sides so that there is clear understanding as to the reasons for appointments, as well as the need for particular skills so that we have a balanced board. The communication I am proposing here is between the Minister in this Department and the committee rather than a four-way dialogue which would also include the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government and the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs; that would be excessively complicated. It is a bilateral dialogue between the committee and the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources. The process in regard to the broadcasting authority has taught us valuable lessons and has been very positive. We can use some of the experience we have gained from that process for the selections in this case. I look forward to engaging with the committee in this regard.

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