Kevin Humphreys (Dublin South East, Labour)
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Question 405: To ask the Minister for Social Protection the total amount paid in remuneration and expenses to members of publicly appointed State boards in both the public and semi-State sectors in 2011; her views that savings can be made in this area; the number of persons in total who sit on these boards; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4585/12]

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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The three statutory bodies operating under the aegis of the Department are the Social Welfare Tribunal, the Citizens Information Board and the Pensions Board. In addition, the Office of the Pensions Ombudsman comes under the remit of the Department but it does not have a board.

Social Welfare Tribunal

The Social Welfare Tribunal consists of a Chairperson and four ordinary members. It holds meetings and hearings only as required, if particular issues arise in the course of industrial disputes. There was no expenditure in respect of the Social Welfare Tribunal in 2011. Members can claim expenses for attending both hearings and meetings, as set out below, in the event that hearings or meetings are necessary. They are also entitled to the standard travel and subsistence allowances if hearings/meetings involve travel.

Chairman €

Hearing (per sitting day) 488.11

Meetings 73.44 Members €

Hearing (per sitting day) 136.71

Meetings 68.36

Citizens Information Board Under the Comhairle Act 2000, as amended by the Citizens Information Act 2007, the Citizens Information Board (CIB) has 15 board members. The CIB publishes a list of serving board members in its annual report and on my Department's website, as follows: http://www.welfare.ie/EN/AboutUs/Pages/CIB_Members.aspx

In 2011, the total amount of fees paid in respect of board members was €74,543. This is in line with the fees payable to members of boards of category 4 non-commercial public service bodies, as outlined in the Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest (No. 2) Act 2009. The CIB also pays expenses to board members in line with standard public sector rates. Expenses paid to board members are also published in the CIB annual report. The total paid in expenses to board members in 2011 was €9,226.

Pensions Board

The Pensions Board is a regulatory body and the statutory role of the board is to monitor and supervise the operation of the Pensions Act 1990 (as amended). The operations of the Pension Board, including payment of fees to the board members, are largely financed by annual fees payable to it by occupational pension schemes and by providers of Personal Retirement Savings Accounts (PRSAs) and trust Retirement Annuity Contracts. There are currently 16 members serving on the Board with one vacancy.

The total amount of fees and expenses paid to members of the Pensions Board in 2011 was €105,525. There would be no savings to the State in the event that these fees are withdrawn as the fees to the board members are funded by occupational pension's schemes and by providers of Personal Retirement Savings Accounts and trust Retirement Annuity Contracts.

Office of the Pensions Ombudsman

The Office of the Ombudsman does not have a Board and therefore no fees or expenses for board members arise. Further information in relation to the boards of the Social Welfare Tribunal, the Citizens Information Board and the Pensions Board is available on the Department's website at www.welfare.ie/EN/AboutUs/Pages/stateagencies.aspx and is updated as required.