Jim McDaid (Donegal North East, Fianna Fail)

I thank Senator Ross for raising the issue of the appointment of members to State boards, particularly Aer Rianta. A total of nine State bodies operate under the aegis of the Department of Transport. These include the main commercial State bodies in the transport sector, most notably, Aer Lingus, Aer Rianta, the CIE group of companies and the Railway Procurement Agency. The Department of Transport also has responsibility for the National Roads Authority, the Dublin Transportation Office, the National Safety Council, the Medical Bureau of Road Safety and the Irish Aviation Authority.

The commercial State enterprises are involved in the provision or procurement of services on a commercial basis. Bodies such as the Railway Procurement Agency and the National Roads Authority have specific functions in relation to the procurement of metro and light rail and the advancement of the national roads programme respectively. The DTO co-ordinates the implementation by the relevant agencies of an agreed integrated transport strategy for the greater Dublin area.

The principal function of the Medical Bureau of Road Safety is to carry out analyses, on behalf of the Garda, of the alcohol content of specimens taken from people suspected of drink driving offences. The National Safety Council promotes road and fire safety awareness through publicity and educational campaigns. The Irish Aviation Authority has responsibility for the provision of air navigation services and it also acts as the air safety regulator.

In the case of Aer Rianta, which is specifically referred to, the company has a general duty under statute to operate and manage the three State airports at Dublin, Shannon and Cork. This includes the provision of the necessary infrastructure and services at the State airports at the lowest possible cost to meet the needs of the various airport users, including airlines and passengers, consistent with safety and commercial operations and the requirement to promote the development of traffic at the airports.

A broad range of considerations is taken into account in the appointment of members to State boards. In the case of a number of the companies involved, including Aer Rianta, a third of the board membership is comprised of worker directors elected in accordance with the Worker Participation (State Enterprises) Acts and duly appointed by the Minister on foot of the outcome of those elections.