Frances Fitzgerald (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

The Deputy is aware of my view on this issue. The amendment is excessively prescriptive and could create inflexibility. I have observed such inflexibility on other boards where specific qualifications are prescribed for members. When appointing members to the board of the new agency, we must consider the broad range of skills and specific skills needed. Such flexibility must be available to the Minister in appointing the board of an organisation with 4,000 staff and a budget of close to €600 million. He or she must ensure the board has the correct mix of expertise at all times and this mix must include individuals with a good grounding in child protection and others with skills in strategic management, human resources and corporate governance.

The problems that arise with boards appointed in a highly representative manner, if one likes, is that the broader remit of the agency is lost somewhere along the line. It is to avoid such a scenario that I have left the appointments process open and flexible. This is the correct approach if we are to secure the proper mix of expertise required to run an agency of this nature. The Deputy will note from the individuals I have appointed to the board that I have sought a mix of experience in a range of areas central to the effective functioning of the board and the new agency. I introduced an amendment to clarify the issue of family support. There is no question that family support has been in any way excluded. It is, as stated in the text, central to the agency and many of the members of the board have a background in social work and family support services. However, we also have a mix of people who understand the governance of large organisations, human resource functions and so forth. That is the mix we need. As I stated, rather than specify qualifications, I have taken the view that the approach provided for is the best way to obtain the mix of personnel and experience that we need to have the board function effectively.

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