Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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Question 499: To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list the details of all State appointments open to direct choice by him on 10 March 2011. [9146/11]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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The Government has agreed that new arrangements will be put in place for the making of appointments to the boards of State bodies and agencies. As part of those new arrangements, I will shortly be inviting expressions of interest from persons interested in being considered for appointment to fill vacant positions on the boards of the agencies and bodies operating under the aegis of my Department. In considering the appointment of suitable candidates, I will not necessarily be confined to those who submit expressions of interest, but I will ensure that all appointees are suitably qualified.

In the case of those being proposed for appointment as chairpersons of State boards, the Government has decided that such persons will be required to make themselves available to the appropriate Oireachtas Committee to discuss the approach which they intend to take to their role as chairperson and their views about the future contribution of the body or board in question. Following that discussion, decisions will be taken by the Minister or the Government, as appropriate, whether to confirm the nominee as chairperson.

As the Deputy is aware, in the case of some of the State bodies/agencies operating under my Department's aegis, a number of the board appointments are made by me having been nominated for appointment by various organisations specified in the relevant statute under which the appointments are made. These include, for example, the Aquaculture Licensing Appeals Board, Bord na gCon, Teagasc, National Milk Agency, Veterinary Council and Horse Racing Ireland.

My Department is collating information in relation to the vacancies of the boards of the State bodies and aegis operating under the aegis of my Department. This table will be kept updated and will be available on my Department's website shortly.