Arthur Morgan (Louth, Sinn Fein)
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Question 84: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if she will review the appointment process of members of the board of FÁS. [44917/08]

Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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The Board of FÁS is appointed by the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment in accordance with the provisions of the Labour Services Act, 1987. The Board comprises of a Chairman and 16 members.

The members of the Board are four representatives each from employer and trade union interests, one each from education, social welfare and youth interests, two FÁS employee members, a representative of the Minister for Finance and two representatives of the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment. Any vacancies arising during the term of office of a Board are filled for the period remaining. Members may be reappointed.

The representatives from trade union, employer and youth interests are nominated by representative bodies. The representative bodies consulted are, respectively, the Irish Council of Trade Unions, the Irish Business and Employers Federation, and the National Youth Council of Ireland. The education and social welfare representatives are appointed following consultation with the Ministers of Education and Science, and Social and Family Affairs respectively. The FÁS employees are elected in accordance with the provisions of the Act.

The representative nature of the Board means that it includes the varying groups affected by the current economic challenges and as well as those who will be working to find solutions to those challenges. I have no plans at present to make changes to the appointment process to the Board of FÁS.