Susan O'Keeffe (Labour) | Oireachtas source

It is tricky to resolve this issue in any reasonable way. Senator Trevor Ó Clochartaigh has inadvertently put his finger on it. A group of people are drawn together through a process that is now public, which we all agree is an improvement on the way the system used to operate. The people concerned do not necessarily know each other and cannot decide to have six meetings before they decide who the chairperson is to be. As they do not know each other, they do not know who the best person is. If there is a vote by board members to select the chairperson, a person who puts himself or herself forward but does not get to fill the post might struggle to serve.If the Minister, who is outside the group, talks to people and chooses carefully to make the appointment - hopefully having assessed all those concerned - then everybody will be able to live with the decision.

As these are State boards their purpose is to serve the State . The Minister has a responsibility to ensure that the chair of the board is the person with whom he or she can have a relationship and with whom the work can be done. While it is less than perfect, and no system is ever perfect, allowing people to come through the Public Appointments System to be on the board and by the Minister choosing the chair it facilitates both the public process and the ministerial appointment aspect. This ensures the cohesion of the board and ensures that the collaborative process is not in any way undermined as the board proceeds with its work.