Phil Hogan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fine Gael)
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Question 250: To ask the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if he is satisfied that no person who is disqualified from holding a directorship of a private company is currently a member of any State board under the auspices of his Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20121/05]

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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Based on the information available to me, I am satisfied that no person who is disqualified from holding a directorship of a private company is currently a member of any State board under the aegis of my Department.

Phil Hogan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fine Gael)
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Question 251: To ask the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the background, place of residence and previous experience of those appointed to the interim board of the National Consumer Agency; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20173/05]

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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The chairperson of the interim board of the National Consumer Agency is Anne Fitzgerald, who is chief executive officer of the Irish Association of Investment Managers and who served as the chairperson of the consumer strategy group. The members are Carmel Foley, the current Director of Consumer Affairs; Alex Schuster, who is a lecturer and barrister attached to the School of Law at Trinity College, Dublin, and who also served as a member of the consumer strategy group; Marie Barry Ring, a consumer representative who has worked in the voluntary sector for over 19 years; Stephen Costelloe, who is chairman of the General Consumer Council of Northern Ireland and who was a member of the consumer strategy group; Robin O'Sullivan, president of the Chambers of Commerce of Ireland; Dr. Edward Shinnick, who is a lecturer in the Department of Economics in University College Cork and who was a member of the consumer strategy group; Gillian Kelly, a consumer representative who does considerable voluntary sector work in Waterford; John Fingleton, chairman of the Competition Authority; Inez Bailey, chief executive officer of the National Adult Literacy Agency; Deirdre McDonnell, managing director of Operative Training Services, Limerick; and Eddie Hobbs, who has a background in financial services, is a member of the council of the Consumers Association of Ireland and is a consumer advocate.

I greatly appreciate that all the above have agreed to become members of the interim board. I am certain that each will make a valuable contribution to the work of the interim board. I am satisfied that the board is broadly representative of those involved in consumer policy and I am confident that those I have appointed will enable the interim board to ensure that the National Consumer Agency will be a forceful advocate for the consumer. All members of the interim board are resident in the State with the exception of Mr. Stephen Costelloe who is resident in Northern Ireland.