Seán Fleming (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 69: To ask the Taoiseach his role in relation to appointments to all State boards and agencies; his views on introducing a cap or ceiling to the number of boards on which one person can serve; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29982/11]

Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

I appoint members to the National Economic and Social Council and the National Statistics Board.

The National Economic and Social Development Office (NESDO) was established under the NESDO Act 2006 and is the body corporate for the National Economic and Social Council (NESC). The Act provides for the appointment by me of the Council on the basis of nominations received from representatives of trade unions, business and employers, farmers' organisations, environmental sector and community and voluntary sectors.

The Act also provides for the appointment by me of a number of public servants and a number of independent experts to the Council: the number of independent experts was increased to eight in the National Economic and Social Council (Alteration of Composition) Order 2010. I appointed seven independent experts in June and one in July. I recently appointed Martin Fraser, Secretary General in my Department, as Chairperson of the Office and the Council. The Statistics Act 1993 provides that I appoint seven of the eight members of the National Statistics Board. The Act provides that the Board consists of eight members, comprising the Director General of the CSO, who is appointed by the President on my nomination, and seven persons appointed by the Taoiseach as follows:

(a) five persons of proven ability and experience in relevant fields, two nominated by the Taoiseach and three nominated by such organisation or organisations as the Taoiseach considers representative of the users of official statistics and providers of information under the Act,

(b) an Assistant Secretary or equivalent or higher grade in the Department of the Taoiseach, and

(c) an Assistant Secretary or equivalent or higher grade in the Department of Finance . It also provides that the Chairman shall be appointed by the Taoiseach from among the members of the Board appointed under (a) above.

As has been the precedent, these functions in relation to the National Statistics Board have been delegated to the Chief Whip under the Statistics (Delegation of Ministerial Functions) Order 2011. No appointments have been made to the National Statistics Board since the Government took office.

The Deputy will be aware that the Government has put new arrangements in place for the making of appointments to State boards. Departments invite expressions of interest in vacancies on the boards of bodies under their aegis on their websites. Ministers are not confined to considering those who make expressions of interest but must ensure that all appointees have the relevant qualifications. In addition, those being proposed for appointment as Chairperson of State boards are required to make themselves available to the appropriate Oireachtas Committee to discuss the approach they will take to their role as Chairperson and their views about the future contribution of the body in question. Following that discussion, decisions are taken by the Minister or the Government, as appropriate, to confirm the nominee as Chairperson. The Government will continue to keep the arrangements for appointments to State boards under review.

Mary Lou McDonald (Dublin Central, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 70: To ask the Taoiseach the saving to the State if all State agency board members' annual payments were rescinded and instead board membership was awarded without remuneration. [30261/11]

Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

The only saving that would arise in relation to appointments made by me relates to the National Statistics Board. Some €32,918 would be saved if the annual stipend payments to the members of the National Statistics Board were rescinded.