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

I propose to take Questions Nos. 6 to 8, inclusive, together.

The National Economic and Social Council, NESC, has a membership of 28, reduced from 34 in the previous council. Members are appointed in accordance with the National Economic and Social Development Office Act 2006 and the National Economic and Social Council (Alteration of Composition) Order 2010, that is, 15 members are nominated by the five sectors - business and employer, ICTU, farming and agriculture, community and voluntary, and environmental; six are public servants and there are seven independent members. Appointments also comply with the guidelines on appointments to State boards. Currently, four vacancies exist on the council in the independent category. These vacancies were advertised on www.stateboards.ieon 31 January last. The process of seeking expressions of interest and assessing suitability for appointment was managed by the Public Appointments Service, PAS, and has now concluded. Just before Easter I received the names of those deemed suitable for appointment by the PAS assessment panel and I am considering these at the moment.

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