Brendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour) | Oireachtas source

As the Deputy will be aware, the Government recently announced a revised model for ministerial appointments to State boards. In future all appointments to State boards will be advertised openly on the State boards portal, www.stateboards.ie, which, as the Deputy is aware, is operated by the Public Appointments Service, PAS. Officials are preparing overarching guidelines for appointments for approval by the Government, including issues related to diversity. As part of this process, all Departments have been contacted to seek comprehensive details of all State boards under their aegis.

The new arrangements also provide that the www.stateboards.iewebsite, as well as being the sole portal for the receipt of applications for appointments to State boards, also will contain definitive and current information on statutory boards, vacancies that will arise and so on. This material will be published in the near future. It is being gathered and structured across all Departments. A review of these arrangements will be carried out and completed within 18 months to make sure that once it is up and running, it will be effective. It is not envisaged that legislation will be required. However, if the review of the new arrangements, say in 18 months time, determines that it must be put on a statutory basis for any reason, I do not have a closed mind on that option.

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