Shane Ross (Dublin Rathdown, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I thank Deputy Kelly for tabling this topical, useful and relevant question. The cost of the recruitment process is a matter for the organisation in question. In this case, the National Tourism Development Authority, Fáilte Ireland, did not require or seek my approval for costs associated with the recruitment of the new chief executive officer. This is a matter for the authority.

I will set out some background. The consent of the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform to fill the chief executive post was sought by my Department with sanction being received early in 2016. This sanction was subject to a number of conditions, including the condition that the filling of the post be by means of an open competition.

The legislation underpinning the authority does not require it to use the Public Appointments Service for this. Likewise, the code of practice for the governance of State bodies, recently revised, does not require PAS to be used.

Following consideration by the authority, it was decided to undertake the recruitment process through a private recruitment firm rather than through the Public Appointments Service.

The authority has assured me that the search and selection processes undertaken were robust and thorough. Moreover, it has assured me that all candidates went through the same rigorous transparent process and were dealt with in a fair manner.

Future appointments of chief executive officers will continue to be made in accordance with the code of practice for the governance for State bodies and any legislation relevant to the body in question.

While the cost of the recruitment process is a matter for the authority, the authority has provided a breakdown of the figure that Deputy Kelly produced.

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