Written answers
Thursday, 28 June 2012
Department of Education and Skills
Appointments to State Boards
5:00 pm
Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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Question 79: To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if he will outline the appointments he has made to State Boards and agencies under his remit; the process involved in such appointments; if any appointees were required to appear before the relevant Oireachtas Committee; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31355/12]
Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
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The attached document provides the relevant details of all appointments (and re-appointments) made to bodies under the aegis of my Department since my appointment as Minister on 9 of March, 2011
The Deputy should note that, in accordance with Government policy, expressions of interest have been sought through the Public Appointments Service (PAS) from suitably qualified and experienced persons for consideration for appointment to the following boards of Bodies operating under the aegis of my Department: Leárgas Ltd – The Exchange Bureau in December 2011; The Higher Education Authority in December 2011; The Qualifications and Quality Assurance Authority of Ireland (to be newly established) in December 2011; The National Council for Curriculum and Assessment (NCCA) in February 2012; The State Examinations Commission (SEC) in February 2012; The Teaching Council in February 2012
In making any direct Ministerial appointments, I am not necessarily confined to those who make such expressions of interest but will ensure that all of those appointed have the relevant skills and competencies for the positions.
As the Deputy will be aware the government has taken a number of decisions relating to the appointment of members to State Boards. One such decision is that individuals who are being proposed for appointment as chairpersons of State boards will be required to make themselves available to the relevant Oireachtas committee to discuss the approach they will take as chairperson and their views about the future contribution of the body or board in question. My Department has provided the names of recently appointed chairpersons to the Joint Committee on Social Protection and Education in this respect.
Breakdown of appointments since March 2011
| Agency Name | Number Appointments /re-appointments | Names | Notes |
| Education Finance Board | 2 re-appointments7 appointments | Mr. Sean Benton (Chairperson)Mr. Peter OrmondMr. Stephen McCarthyMs. Norah GibbonsMs. Inez BaileyMs. Bernadette FahyMs. Marian DunningtonMr. James QuinnMs. Dolores Rooney | This Board is effectively a caretaker board which will serve for a number of months pending the establishment of the Statutory Fund. It is envisaged that the new Fund will assume the functions of the Board and the Board will be dissolved when the fund is set up. Mr. Ormond and Ms. Fahy are re-appointments. |
| Foras Áiseanna Saothair | 1 appointment | Mr. Michael Moriarty | Mr. Moriarty, who is General Secretary of the IVEA, was appointed in July 2011 because of his expertise in the area of Vocational Education which will be particularly useful in the context of the future integration of the FÁS training division and the VECs and the creation of SOLAS, the new further education and training authority. |
| Further Education & Training Awards Council(FETAC) | 11 re-appointments(See Note 1) | Mr. Donal O'Rourke (Chairperson)Dr. Padraig WalshMs. Margaret O'ConnellMr. Rory O'SullivanMr. Joseph O'LearyMs. Deirdre KeyesMs. Bridie DalyMs. Margaret MernaghMr. John MulcahyMr. Tony PetitMs. Shira Mehiman | As FETAC's term of office expired in December 2011, and to meet with statutory obligations, eligible members of the outgoing Board were re-appointed to the Board until such time as the new QQAAI is established. All 11 re-appointed in December 2011. |
| Higher Education and Training Awards Council(HETAC) | 2 appointments8 re-appointments(See Note 1) | Dr. Maria Hinfelaar (1st appointed 9/6/2011)Mr. Aengus Ó Maoláin (1st appointed 1/7/2011)Prof. Séamus Smyth (Chairperson)Dr. Finola Doyle-O'NeillDr. Marion PalmerDr. Íde Ní FhaoláinMs. Mary Mc GlynnDr. Diarmuid O'Callaghan | As HETAC's term of office expired in December 2011, and to meet with statutory obligations, eligible members of the outgoing Board were re-appointed to the Board until such time as the new QQAAI (see note 1) is established. All 8 re-appointed on 21st December 2011. |
| Higher Education Authority | 7 appointments3 re-appointments | Mr Gary Redmond (President USI)Prof. Anthony StainesMs. Siobhan HarkinMr. Gordan RyanMs. Kathleen Lough (re-appointed)Mr. Paddy CosgraveDr. Brian ThornesDr. Mary Canning (re-appointed)Mr. Bahram BekheradniaDr. Jim Mountjoy | Mr. Redmond was re-appointed in July 2011 by virtue of his re-appointment as President of the USI. All other members appointed by Government on 6th March 2012. |
| Irish Research Council | 12 appointments | Dr. David Lloyd (Chair)Prof. John BrewerMr. Ivan CoulterProf. Anita MaguireProf. Orla FeelyProf. Alan SmeatonDr. Thomas CooneyProf. Caroline FennellProf. Rowena PeccheninoProf. Sheila GreeneProf. Sean RyderDr Eucharia Meehan | The two councils IRCHSS and IRCSET were stood down on the 18th of March 2012 and a new body the Irish Research Council (IRC) came into being on the 19th March 2012. |
| Léargas | 7 appointments1 re-appointments | Mr Michael McLoughlin (Chair)Ms Fidelma CollinsMr Hugh MacConvilleMr Stephen GouldingMs Gillian BoyleMs Geraldine SkellyMr Cormac DoranMs Catherine Hazlett | Ms Geraldine Skelly was reappointed to the board in May 2012, Mr Cormac Doran and Ms Catherine Hazlett were appointed to the board in May 2012 and all others were appointed on the 12th June 2012. |
| National Council for Curriculumand Assessment | 25 appointments | Brigid McManus (Chairperson)Declan Kellehen, (Vice Chairperson)Michael Redmond (Vice Chairperson)Clive ByrneDeirbhile Nic CraithMarie GriffinNóirín HayesChristina HenehanPhilip IrwinBernie JudgeDr. Daire KeoghMarie Therese KilmartinMary LillisPádraig MacFhlannchadhaDr. Rose MaloneHilary McBainPatricia McCrossanDr. Kara McGannJim MooreMichael O'BrienSeán Ó CoinnBryan O'ReillySr. Betty O'RiordanBríd Uí RiordánEileen Salmon | All 25 members of the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment were appointed on the 1st of April 2012 |
| National Council for Special Education | 1 appointment | Ms. Maureen Costello | Director of the National Educational Psychological Service (NEPS) appointed in September 2011. |
| National Qualifications Authority of Ireland | 1 appointment5 re-appointments(See Note 1) | Mr. Gary Redmond (1st appointed 24/6/2011)Prof. Anne ScottMs. Marie BourkeMr. Eamon DevoyMs. Audry DeaneMr. Tony Donohue | All re-appointed on 31st March 2011 with exception of Mr Redmond. |
| State Examinations Commission | 5 Appointments | Mr Richard Langford (Chair)Mr Joe Harrison (Deputy Chair)Mr Martin CarneyDr Brian FlemingDr Caroline Hussey | Mr Langford and Mr Harrison were appointed to the board on the 3rd of April 2012, all others appointed on the 1st of May 2012 |
| Skillnets Ltd | 1 | Mr. Mícheál Ó Fiannachta | A Departmental official appointed in June 2011. |
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