Séamus Brennan (Dublin South, Fianna Fail)
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The five statutory agencies operating under the aegis of my Department are the Pensions Board, the Combat Poverty Agency, Comhairle, the Family Support Agency and the Social Welfare Tribunal. In addition, the Pensions Ombudsman comes under the remit of my Department.

The Pensions Board was established in December 1990 under the Pensions Act 1990 and comprises 17 members, including the chairperson. The role of the board is to monitor and supervise the provisions of the Pensions Acts as amended, relating to occupational pensions, and to advise the Minister on all matters relating to its functions and on matters relating to pensions generally. The method of selection to the board is mainly by nomination by representative bodies as laid down in the Pensions Act.

The Combat Poverty Agency, CPA, was established in September 1986 under the Combat Poverty Agency Act 1986. The main functions of the agency are to advise the Minister for Social and Family Affairs on all aspects of economic and social planning relating to poverty, to initiate and evaluate measures aimed at overcoming poverty, and to promote greater public understanding of the nature, causes and extent of poverty and the measures necessary to overcome poverty. Persons are selected for appointment to the board on the basis of their interest and commitment in the whole area of poverty and social inclusion. Regard is also had to the Government's policy on minimum representation, that is, 40% of men and women on State boards.

Comhairle was established on 12 June 2000 under the Comhairle Act 2000 and comprises 20 members, including a chairperson. It is responsible for supporting the provision of independent information, advice and advocacy services for citizens throughout the country, including people with disabilities. The legislation provides that the board shall include five members representative of people with disabilities nominated by the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform, an elected member of staff and a representative from my own Department. The remaining 13 members are representative of the following interests: health board, local authorities, local development, citizens' information centres, independent information providers and general interests. The legislation also provides that the Minister, when making appointments to the board, shall have regard to the objective of having a minimum of eight men and eight women on the board.

The Family Support Agency was established on 6 May 2003 under the Family Support Agency Act 2001 and comprises 12 members, including the chairperson. The remit of the Family Support Agency is to provide a family mediation service, support, promote and develop the provision of marriage and relationship counselling and other family supports, support, promote and develop the family and community, and to undertake research, provide and disseminate information about parenting and family issues and provide advice to the Minister on matters relating to its functions. Persons are selected for appointment to the board on the basis that they have a special interest or expertise in matters relating to the functions of the agency or matters related thereto.

The Social Welfare Tribunal is a statutory body set up in 1982 to deal with cases where entitlement to unemployment benefit or assistance is refused due to an involvement in a trade dispute. The tribunal is an independent agency. It is made up of a chairman and four ordinary members, two of whom are representative of workers and two of employers. The members are appointed by the Minister on foot of nominations by the Irish Congress of Trade Unions, ICTU, and the Irish Business Employers Confederation, IBEC. All persons nominated for membership of and appointment to the Social Welfare Tribunal are required to be in possession of a tax clearance certificate.

As regards tax compliance by persons being considered for appointment to State boards, the Department of Finance, in conjunction with other relevant Departments, has been considering whether tax clearance certificates can and should be required of such persons. Based on the outcome of that process, the Minister for Finance will consider further whether any change to the existing arrangements is appropriate. In the interim, I intend to follow the practice, which I adopted in previous Departments, whereby all nominees, whether ministerial or others that require my approval, should provide a personal declaration confirming that their tax affairs are in order.