Timmy Dooley (Clare, Fianna Fail)
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Question 259: To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the appointments made by him to State boards under the remit of his Department since March 2011 that were advertised; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24250/12]

Brendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour)
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In response to the Deputy's question the following appointments were made to bodies under the aegis of my Department.

An Post National Lottery

The position to which Mr. Connell was re-appointed by me as Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform was not advertised as under the National Lottery Act 1986, the majority shareholder of the National Lottery Company (i.e. An Post) nominates the person to fill this position.

On 22nd November 2011, I re-appointed Mr Connell as chairman until 29th February 2012 in order to allow him time to appear before the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance Public Expenditure and Reform. Mr Connell appeared before the Committee on 14th December 2011 and his re-appointment as Chairman has been ratified with effect from the 29th February 2012.

Civil Service Arbitration Board

In accordance with the Government's recent decision, the new procedures for appointment to State Boards dictate that expressions of interest are invited from persons interested in being appointed to the boards of State Bodies and Agencies operating under the Department's aegis. Persons being proposed for appointment as chairpersons of State Bodies/Agencies may be required to make themselves available to the appropriate Oireachtas committee to discuss the approach which they will take to their role as chairperson and their views about the future contribution of the body or Board in question and, following that discussion, decisions will be taken by either the Government or myself, as appropriate, to confirm the nominee as chairperson. In the case of the Civil Service Arbitration Board the new procedures were not used and the Chairman was not interviewed by Oireachtas as the conciliation and arbitration scheme for the Civil Service, the Permanent Defence Forces, the Garda and Teachers sets out the nomination process for the Board and its appointment by Government.

Public Appointments Service

The appointments were not made using the new procedures and the previous Chairman was reappointed to the role on the new board.

The reason for not following the new procedures in relating to board appointments is that the Public Service Management (Recruitment and Appointments) Act, 2004 states that I, as Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform (in consultation with Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government, the Minister for Health and the Minister for Justice, Equality and Defence) should appoint members of the Board of the Public Appointments Service.

The Board is meant to be representative of our client base. The majority of the board is therefore civil or public servants, nominated by the relevant Minister. There is also a union representative nominated by ICTU. I reappointed the outgoing Chairman and the two external members were appointed by me because of their expertise in strategic change and public service recruitment respectively.