Paschal Donohoe (Dublin Central, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

As the Deputy may be aware, significant advances were made in this area in 2014 when a radically revised system for State board appointments was introduced with the following key principles at its core: the promotion of wider access to opportunities on State boards; the establishment of detailed and comprehensive criteria for those roles; and the introduction of transparent and rigorous assessment of candidates against these criteria. In broad terms, the objective was to open the State boards appointments process to the largest possible pool of suitable candidates from across Irish society. This constituted the most far-reaching reform of State board appointments since the establishment of the State. My Department issued guidelines in November 2014 setting out how the new appointments process is to work in practice. Since then, 336 vacancies have been advertised for 82 boards and 215 appointments have been made for the 59 campaigns completed. Some 4,990 people are currently registered on to be notified of vacancies arising on State boards.

In line with our commitments in the programme for Government, I now propose to further strengthen the process by requiring ministerial nominees for the role of chairs of boards to be assessed and have their suitability for appointment confirmed by the Public Appointments Service. In addition, nominees for chairs of State boards will, following confirmation of their suitability by the Public Appointments Service, be required to have their nomination ratified by the relevant Oireachtas committee prior to their appointment being made by the Government. My Department is also examining how the commitment to put the State board appointments process on a statutory footing will be most effectively achieved.

Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

When does the Minister expect the changes to take effect? During the period of the last Government, only 20% of some 1,200 State board vacancies were filled through this public process. What target does he have for the new process?

Paschal Donohoe (Dublin Central, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

I expect that all State boards covered by this Act will now be subject to its provisions. The first example of the new process will happen soon in the case of the Department of Health, where competent individuals will be put into important roles as chairpersons of State organisations in a transparent manner.