Michael McGrath (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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Question 60: To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if he will provide a list of all appointments to State boards, including any appointments to the position of chairperson shown separately, he has made since coming to office; the details of any remuneration or expenses arrangement that applies in respect of each appointment; the vacancies on the boards that had been publicly advertised; and the prospective nominees that went before the Oireachtas committee for questioning. [29265/11]

Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
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Since my appointment as Minister, the following appointments have been made to the Boards of the Bodies under the aegis of my Department.

Mr. Eamonn Devoy, Mr. Tony Donohoe, Professor Anne Scott, Ms. Maria Bourke and Ms. Audrey Deane were all appointed to the Board of the National Qualifications Authority of Ireland (NQAI) with effect from end March 2011. While the terms of office for these appointments are for a five year period the NQAI is to be merged with both the Further Education and Training Awards Council (FETAC) and the Higher Education and Training Awards Council (HETAC) to form a new body to be known as the Qualifications and Quality Assurance Authority of Ireland (QQAAI) in the coming months. No remuneration applicable. - Mr. Micheál Ó Fiannachta, a Departmental official, was appointed to the Board of Skillnets Ltd with effect from June 2011. No remuneration applicable. - Dr Maria Hinfelaar and Mr Aengus Ó Maoláin were appointed to the Higher Education and Awards Council (HETAC) in June 2011. No remuneration applicable. Like the NQAI, this body is to be merged into the Qualifications and Quality Assurance Authority of Ireland in the coming months. It is customary for the Union of Students in Ireland (USI) to have one representative on the board of HETAC. Mr Ó Maoláin was nominated by the USI. - Ms. Maureen Costello was appointed to the National Council for Special Education Board in September 2011. No remuneration applicable. Ms. Costello is the Director of the National Educational Psychological Service and her appointment was made because of the close interactions between the two agencies concerned. - Mr. Michael Moriarty was appointed to the FÁS Board in July 2011. Remuneration fee of €11,790 per annum applicable. The vacancy on the FÁS Board arose in July 2011 following the resignation of Mr. Sean Gallagher. Mr. Moriarty, who is General Secretary of the IVEA, was appointed because of his expertise in the Vocational Education Committees which will be availed of particularly when FÁS is transformed into SOLAS, the new further education and training authority. - Mr. Gary Redmond was re-appointed to the Higher Education Authority in July 2011. Remuneration fee of €7,695 per annum applicable. It is customary for the Union of Students in Ireland (USI) to have one representative on the board of the Higher Education Authority. Mr. Redmond was nominated by the USI.

None of the appointments above were to the position of Chairperson in the bodies concerned. My Department's officials are currently considering options to effect the government decision regarding direct Ministerial appointments to Boards and issues regarding the public advertising of future vacancies will be considered in this context.