Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

The question is about the selection of a chairperson for the Dún Laoghaire Harbour Company.

The Harbours Act 1996 requires a statutory consultation before appointments are made to the port company boards.

On the appointment of the current chairperson, Mrs. Eithne Scott Lennon, I brought a memorandum to Government on this in July. Following Government approval, the chairperson designate was required to appear before the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport and Communications prior to the appointment being confirmed.

As the Deputy will be aware, requiring newly nominated chairpersons to appear before the relevant Oireachtas committee is in line with broader Government reform proposals in the area of State board appointments and Dáil reform. More than a dozen chairpersons under my Department's remit have appeared before the joint committee prior to their appointment. This, I believe, provides an excellent opportunity for the individuals in question to set forward their vision for the job and allows Members of the Oireachtas to raise any particular issues or concerns they may have before the appointment is formalised.

Other initiatives in this area include a public invitation for expressions of interest in serving on State boards. Furthermore, on the appointment of board members, including chairpersons, to the individual port companies, I issue them with a letter of mandate setting out the issues and priorities that they should have regard to in carrying out their functions subject to their fiduciary duties under the Companies Act.

Mrs. Eithne Scott Lennon appeared before the committee on 18 September last and I subsequently appointed her for a five-year period as chairperson of Dún Laoghaire Harbour Company on 24 September.

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