Mary Upton (Dublin South Central, Labour)
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Question 277: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government the rationale behind the role of an organisation (details supplied) in nominating representatives to state bodies. [5184/05]

Dick Roche (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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The organisation named is one of the nominating bodies prescribed under the Planning and Development Regulations 2001 in regard to appointments to membership of An Bord Pleanála. The organisation is one of a number of bodies on the nominating panel which represents "voluntary bodies, bodies having charitable objects and bodies that, in the opinion of the Minister, have a special interest or expertise in matters relating to the promotion of the Irish language, the promotion of the arts and culture or that are representative of people with disability", as required under section 106(1)(f) of the Planning and Development Act 2000.

The same organisation is also prescribed in the Environmental Protection Agency (Advisory Committee) Regulations 2004 under one of five nominating panels for the purpose of selecting candidates for appointment to the advisory committee of the agency. Under section 27(5)(d) of the Environment Protection Agency Act 1992, organisations concerned with the promotion in the community of social, economic or general interests are entitled to submit the names of candidates for appointment to the committee and the organisation referred is one such body prescribed under this nominating panel.

In appointing members to the agency's advisory committee and to An Bord Pleanála, I strive to achieve wide and balanced representation and I am assisted in this by the range of interests and professions included in the nominating panels. I am satisfied the nature of the nominating body referred and the interests it represents makes it appropriate for inclusion in the respective nominating panels.