Ned O'Keeffe (Cork East, Fianna Fail)
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Question 139: To ask the Minister for Agriculture and Food the chairperson and board members of a board (details supplied); the date of the appointment of the chairperson and each board member; the staff of the chairperson and each board member and the qualifications of the staff; the budget of the board; the functions of the board; the salary awarded to the chairperson and each board member; if these persons are entitled to mileage and expenses; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [28533/05]

Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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The Irish Horse Board Co-operative Society Limited, generally called the Irish Horse Board, is registered by the Registrar of Friendly Societies under the Industrial and Provident Societies Acts. Election of board members by members of the society and subsequent election of the chairman by the board are matters exclusively for the society.

The society in its rules — namely, 47[a][b.iii] — makes provision for the Minister for Agriculture and Food to appoint three ordinary members of the board. Mr. Jim Beecher, a senior civil servant in the Department of Agriculture and Food, was appointed to the board on its inception. I appointed Deputy Joe Walsh on 28 September 2005 as an ordinary member of the board. The third position is vacant.

While my Department provides a grant-in-aid to the society, matters relating to staff, budgets, salaries and expenses are functions of the society and the board.