Michael Healy-Rae (Kerry South, Independent)
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To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources the number of appointments he has made from March 2011 to January 2013 to State boards; in the case of each appointment, the number of appointments that were made to members of the general public who submitted a curriculum vitae for the appointment; the number of direct appointments he made; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11471/13]

Pat Rabbitte (Dublin South West, Labour)
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I wish to advise the Deputy that there have been 64 appointments made to State Boards under the aegis of my Department in the period March 2011 to January 2013 and details of these are set out in the following table. All of the appointments have been made in light of the objectives of the organisation and on the basis of appointees having the necessary competencies, expertise and experience to contribute effectively to the work of the particular boards, whilst also taking into consideration the legislative requirements where applicable.

I have, for the past two years, on the Department’s website, invited Expressions of Interest from persons wishing to be considered for appointment to vacancies on State Boards under the aegis of my Department. I have recently advertised on the website of my Department for persons interested in such appointments during 2013. It should be noted that such invitations are designed to extend the range of suitable persons from which a Minister might make appointments – not to constrain that range.

*Expression of Interest received

** Official in my Department

It should also be noted that 24 of the appointments in the table were either ex-officio appointments, reappointments, the appointment of worker directors chosen by election, or appointments made from nominations made by an Oireachtas Committee