Seán Fleming (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)
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Question 510: To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will provide a list of staff in his Department that serve as directors of companies arising from their employment; the names of the companies involved; the annual remuneration received, if any; if they are indemnified by his Department in respect of their role as directors; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16410/12]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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No civil servant from my Department is a director of any company relating to their work. However, two civil servants are board members on two of the Non – commercial State Bodies that fall under my Department's remit. These two State Bodies are not classified as companies as they are statutory corporations deriving their authorities and powers directly from statutes and not incorporated as companies under the Companies Acts. These civil servants do not receive any remuneration for these positions.

I understand from the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform that the Office of the Attorney General has advised that people working for the State are entitled to be indemnified for such work. The indemnification would cover any reasonable legal fees and/or damages incurred where people are sued for undertaking their duties on behalf of the State provided they acted in good faith and in a bona fide manner. The State carries its own insurance in this regard. This indemnity would apply to those civil servants appointed to State boards as part of their official duties.