Mary Upton (Dublin South Central, Labour)
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Question 31: To ask the Minister for Transport the position regarding the appointment of members to the board of the National Transport Authority; if there will be a public competition for these appointments; the qualifications and expertise of each new appointee to the board of the NTA; when the NTA will commence operations; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45877/09]

Noel Dempsey (Meath West, Fianna Fail)
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The National Transport Authority was established on 1 December last. Membership of the authority comprises a chairperson, three ex officio members and eight ordinary members. The chairperson and eight ordinary members must be persons who, in the opinion of the Minister for Transport, have wide experience of transport, industrial, commercial, financial, land use planning or environmental matters, the organisation of workers or administration.

Last March I invited applications from any person who wished to be considered for appointment as an ordinary member of the new authority. Applicants were simply required to demonstrate to me how they met the criteria in the areas referred to above. A total of 68 applications were received and I record my appreciation to everyone who took the time to submit an application.

On 1 December I appointed the following people to the new authority: Mr. John Fitzgerald, chairperson; Mr. Gerry Murphy, chief executive; Mr. John Tierney, Dublin city manager; and Mr. Frank King, Ms. Linda Saunders, Mr. Damian Usher and Dr. Berna Grist, ordinary members. The four ordinary members were chosen from the public application process and I am satisfied that they each have wide experience in relevant areas.

It is my intention to fill the remaining vacancies on the authority at an early stage in the new year. One of those vacancies is reserved for a senior NTA manager specified by the NTA chairperson with my consent. I indicated during the passage of the Bill in the House that if the transport committee wanted to make a suggestion, I was open to considering such a suggestion.

Tommy Broughan (Dublin North East, Labour)
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How was the appointment of the chairperson - in this case Mr. John Fitzgerald - made? What is the exact remuneration packaged enjoyed by Mr. Fitzgerald and what are the terms and conditions of the job? When will the National Transport Authority be fully operational and how many staff will it have in 2010? I presume it will come under the Department of Transport Estimates that will come before us in a few minutes. Where will it be located? I assume it is operating from the DTO offices, but where will it be based? When the 2008 Bill established the Dublin Transport Authority, it was intended that the new directly-elected mayor of Dublin was to be chairperson of the authority. Does the Minister intend to proceed in this fashion? Will the mayor of Dublin elected by the people next year become the chairperson of the National Transport Authority?

Noel Dempsey (Meath West, Fianna Fail)
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I asked Mr. John Fitzgerald if he would undertake what I regard as a very onerous task because of his experience in local government and his ability to get things done. I do not have the figure off the top of my head but he is only getting the same as any other chairperson of a non-commercial State body. It may be around €16,000. He will not be overpaid for the work he must do.

The authority will be initially located in the DTO. In the current straitened times I do not expect the purchase of any new premises for the NTA. With regard to the mayoral position, that is a matter-----

Brendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour)
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Members should have regard to the questions. They may have other things on their mind at the moment.

Charles Flanagan (Laois-Offaly, Fine Gael)
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We are in anticipation.

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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That is hardly surprising.

Billy Timmins (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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If the Minister said something interesting we would listen. That matter has to be decided in the context of the local government reform Bill, which the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government has proposed. It was intended if the Dublin transport authority had been established, the proposed directly elected lord mayor of Dublin would be the chairperson. He or she will still have a role in regard to transport in the greater Dublin area but this is a national body and, therefore, Mr. John Fitzgerald will remain as chairman.