Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

As the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform, Deputy Howlin, has pointed out on many occasions, there has been a raft of reforms here, including those on lobbying, the Ombudsman, FOI and StateBoards.ie. In respect of StateBoards.ie, an excess of 60 individual campaigns was undertaken, involving 2,500 expressions of interest - approximately 40 candidates per campaign. Some 200 appointments have been made from that system. In approximately one-fifth of the campaigns, no appointments were made from PAS applicants. In general, the PAS process related to from one to two vacancies on each State board.

By 1 November, every Department will have set out the criteria, standards and skills necessary for persons to serve on their boards and all of this information is transferred ontoStateBoards.ie. This means the public will be have a transparent, accessible way of understanding the vacancies, the places to be filled, the criteria necessary and how to make an application. These applications will be assessed by the Public Appointments Service and not by any internal, political dynamic. Credible, qualified candidate names will then be submitted to the Minister in question for consideration.

The exclusive responsibility for the appointment lies with each Minister, but this system-----

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