Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

2. To ask the Taoiseach the number of appointments to State boards he has made in the past two years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22130/13]

Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

The National Economic and Social Council, NESC, is the only State agency under the aegis of my Department. The NESC provides guidance to Government on strategic issues for Ireland's economic and social development. Since coming into office on 9 March 2011, I have made appointments to the NESC. The appointments were made in accordance with the National Economic and Social Development Office Act 2006 and SI No. 603 of 2010, the National Economic and Social Council (Alteration of Composition) Order 2010.

I appoint members specifically on the basis of nominations from business and employer interests, the Irish Congress of Trade Unions, ICTU, farming and agricultural interests, the community and voluntary sector and the environmental sector. I may also appoint up to six public servants of whom at least one shall represent the Taoiseach and one shall represent the Minister for Finance. These appointments represent relevant Departments to ensure NESC's work is integrated with Government policy making. I also appointed eight independent members to the NESC in 2011, in most cases from the academic sector.

These appointments were made following careful consideration of the necessary skills, knowledge and expertise relevant to the functions of the council as required by the legislation. There has been one appointment to the National Statistics Board, NSB, in the last two years. An assistant secretary at my Department was appointed to the NSB in line with the provisions of section 18(1)(b) of the Statistics Act 1993.

Table: Details of appointments made by the Taoiseach to NESC since 9 March 2011

Seán Ó Fearghaíl (Kildare South, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

It is customary for these vacancies on State boards to be notified through the Public Appointments Commission and we welcome that. While this is a welcome development, all of the evidence to date is that it has made absolutely no difference to those who are being appointed to serve on boards. The main development is Ministers, in conjunction with the Taoiseach, are getting the people they would appoint anyway to put their CV through the State's appointments commission. It seems that many of the people who were appointed previously are being reappointed which, thankfully, would indicate the Government sees that many of the people appointed in the past had merit.

Can the Taoiseach tell us if he will undertake a review of the plethora of State boards we have across the country to indicate the extent to which these boards are being effective, whether they are doing the job they were appointed to do and if they have the correct skillsets in place? It is all very well to appoint them, and one can perhaps to some extent point to some improvement in the process of appointment, albeit that many of them still have very strong political connections. Having political connections is not a bad thing, a sin or something we should hold up to ridicule, but are they doing the job they are charged with doing effectively? What systems for monitoring the effectiveness of these bodies has the Taoiseach put in place or does he intend putting in place in the period ahead?

Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

This is a small country and most people have a political record of one description or another. That does not mean it should be the only criterion that should apply to appointments to boards. Under previous administrations there was no process at all for public involvement in board appointments. Before this Government took up office, in the last few days of that regime, a couple of hundred people were appointed to different boards. It has been opened up for the first time ever. Every Department is required to advertise vacancies on their own websites. That enables members of the public to come forward and make their views and expertise known. While Ministers are not confined to that list, it has greatly widened the opportunity and the pool of people from whom appointees can be chosen. Quite a considerable number of appointees have come through that process and those nominated for chairpersons of State boards must attend the relevant committee in advance of appointment to set out their vision, priorities and what they see they would bring to that board. That also enhances the transparency of the board's process.

We will keep that under review. The relevance of what the Deputy raises is the question, rather than just making appointments, whether these are people who really have something to offer. Are the boards doing the job for which they were set up?

The relevant question is not simply about which appointments are made but rather that they be of people who really have something to offer; and whether the boards are doing the job for which they were established. I would assume that every Minister has an engagement with these boards and if they are not measuring up, that he or she will ensure something is done about it. Under a number of appointments that were made through the public advertisement system, I note, for example, the chief executive of Fujitsu and the head of regulation and public policy at O2 Ireland were appointed to EirGrid. The chair of Accenture Institute for Public Services Value and a member of the Smurfit Graduate School of Business, Vivienne Jupp, was appointed to the board of CIE. The chairperson of Bord Bia is currently the chairman of Jacobs Fruitfield in Ireland. Michael Carey has had senior positions in a number of multinational food companies in Ireland and the UK. Also appointed to the board via the public process was Rhona Holland, who is a managing director of Global Intelligence, and formerly of PepsiCo. These are people of exceptional calibre and quality who applied through that system. It has brought about a change in the range, calibre, quality and speciality of people who can be appointed.

I encourage Ministers on a regular basis to see to it that the strategy and requirements of the boards are met and followed through and that a programme and plan are being followed in order that we can make progress. From my point of view, I chair the Cabinet sub-committees. People occasionally attend from agencies and are required to report on progress made in so far as implementing the programme for Government is concerned and on the planned strategies of the individual groups or organisations.

Seán Ó Fearghaíl (Kildare South, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

I agree with the Taoiseach it is a very positive development that the chairs of these boards are now coming before Oireachtas committees and have an opportunity to set out for themselves in a clear way the vision they have for the development of their respective organisations in the years ahead, and also that the representatives of the political parties, and of none, have the opportunity through the Oireachtas committees to engage with these people, put questions to them and tease out the agenda they have. That is entirely positive and I commend the Taoiseach on it. It is a pity that initiative was not taken many years ago.

I put it to the Taoiseach, however, that there still is considerable political influence at play in how people are appointed to these boards, irrespective of the involvement of the State Appointments Commission. I am not convinced there is anything in particular wrong with that but there certainly is something wrong in suggesting that although it was wrong for the previous Administration to do this it is in some way right if this Administration proceeds to do the same. It is alleged against the previous Government that a multiplicity of appointments was made in the interregnum between the completion of the term of the last Government and the beginning of the new Government, but that was nothing different to what had happened down through the generations. The Taoiseach's party, when in Government, did it; so did the Labour Party. The Taoiseach's Government will probably do it again when its current term of office finishes.

I refer to the business of monitoring by committees of the efficacy of the appointed boards, which is of considerable importance. The Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht, Deputy Jimmy Deenihan, was in the Chamber until just a while ago and this is a matter we have been exploring over the course of Question Time. I welcome that the Taoiseach is asking Ministers to monitor how the State boards are performing. That is good, and fair enough. The Taoiseach needs to go a step further, however. These boards are of significant importance and the people who serve on them consider themselves privileged to be doing so. I encourage the Taoiseach to encourage his Ministers to devise some kind of formal process of assessment so that the boards can understand they have a challenge to live up to and that the objectives set out by the chair when the chair meets with the Oireachtas committees are being assessed, at least on an annual basis. In this way the boards can be given the challenge of working towards the agenda which has been set out for them and they can produce, to the Oireachtas, the Minister or whomsoever, annual reports that indicate the progress that been made.

Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

The Deputy is aware that annual reports are produced by the boards in respect of the work programmes they follow. I engage with Ministers on a regular basis and in preparation for the Estimates for every budget. I talk to each individual Minister about his or her departmental responsibilities and also about the boards that are related to each Department and under each Minister's aegis. At that point, one asks how board X or Y is doing, whether it is measuring up and whether the chairperson is able to do the job. That is only normal practice. These are very important positions and some are more sensitive than others.

First, it is a duty of the chairperson of the board to see that it performs its function; second, it is the responsibility of the Minister involved to see that the board is driven and motivated to make a difference; third, the board must report to Oireachtas committees and to the public. I hope those appointed fulfil their duty, that the requirements of the board are met, as determined by the Department and the Minister, in respect of whatever skill needs or ranges of experience are needed, and that they get on with the business of being effective, run their boards properly and make a difference - which is the reason they were appointed in the first place.

Gerry Adams (Louth, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

I thank the Taoiseach for his answer. It is a good and positive advance that vacancies in these boards are publicised on the websites of Departments and that chairpersons come to Oireachtas committees and give an account of their vision. However, I note that an Oireachtas committee cannot prevent the appointment of a chairperson. I made the case previously to the Taoiseach that a real democratic revolution would be in place if Oireachtas committees had the same status as committees on Capitol Hill have, which can actually stop such appointments. Perhaps that is work for another day.

Can the Taoiseach give us some sense, in respect of boards under his auspices or those of his Department, as to what percentage of board members are women? Has the Government considered any additional measures to secure gender equality or advance that objective? The Taoiseach may recall that recently there was considerable controversy during the industrial dispute involving Bus Éireann when we discovered the chairperson of the board was resident in Dubai. Does the Taoiseach know if any other chairs of State boards are resident abroad, including those under his Department?

Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

I thank Deputy Adams who, along with Deputy Ó Fearghaíl, has been generous enough to acknowledge that would-be chairpersons come before Oireachtas committees. That is important.

The only board under the direct responsibility of the Department of the Taoiseach is NESC, which has 14 members on the board, four of whom are women. Most members are nominated by the individual organisations and, while one might like to have a balance as close as possible to 50-50, members of this board are nominated within academia or individual groupings. I do not have that control over them.

The Deputy is aware that a number of the appointments made to RTE are made, in part, by the Oireachtas committee which recommends names to the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources. That is a particular case where the committee is in a position to make nominations which the Minister subsequently approves. I do not have data in respect of any particular Minister but I am sure if the Deputy tables parliamentary questions the Departments in question will be happy to supply answers to him. In the case of NESC, the appointees are either academics or are nominated by individual unions or sectors.

The direct appointment from the Taoiseach's office is limited to public servants at assistant secretary level, as in this case.

Deputy Adams referred to the person in Dubai. I understand from memory that the chairman made a substantial number of trips home at his own expense in order to deal with the questions arising in Bus Éireann. From what I know of him, he is an exceptionally competent person and I am glad the matter was resolved and that the drivers continue to do an excellent job.

In regard to Deputy Ó Fearghaíl's question, the target of 40% representation for women was restated in the National Women's Strategy 2007-16. The programme for Government commits to taking steps to ensure that all State boards comprise at least 40% representation of each gender. Clearly, it is not possible to make appointments until vacancies arise. In 2011, a proposal from the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform to advertise future vacancies on State boards on the website of the relevant Department was brought to Government and approved. Public advertisements inviting these applications state that due regard will be given to Government policy on gender balance on State boards. I have discussed on previous occasions the suitability of applicants for boards. Composite data on women's participation in State boards in recent years indicate that approximately 34% of places on boards were held by women. Progress towards achieving the gender target has been slow and significant deviations persist between Departments. A pattern has emerged over the years whereby significant numbers of women are on boards with a caring focus but fewer are on boards with an economic or business focus. I have outlined a number of examples of exceptional and competent people, including women in particular, who were appointed following public advertisements for important economic bodies. I would like to see that continue.