Michael Healy-Rae (Kerry South, Independent)
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To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government 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. [11474/13]

Phil Hogan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fine Gael)
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Up to 31 December 2012, the latest date for which information is available, the position is as follows:

* The board of the Dublin Docklands Development Authority was reappointed from 1 May 2012 and replaced by a new board from 1 June 2012 which will continue in place until 31 December 2013.

** The Local Government Management Agency was established on 1 August 2012 and replaces the Local Government Computer Services Board and the Local Government Management Services Board.

A notice was placed on my Department’s website on 19 July, 2011 seeking expressions of interest, from suitably qualified and experienced persons, for consideration as members or chairpersons of the boards of state bodies under the aegis of my Department. The notice is updated regularly as specific vacancies arise.

Vacancies on the boards of other bodies under my Department’s aegis will be notified on the website as they arise. However, expressions of interest can be made at any time and will be kept on file in my Department for consideration as vacancies occur.

All appointments are made in accordance with the appropriate legislation governing appointments to each body. In considering applications due regard is also had to Government policy regarding gender balance on State Boards.

A number of different statutory processes are involved in appointments to State boards. In some cases statutory selection procedures must be followed or nominations must be sought from independent nominating panels before appointments are made by the Government or by the Minister. In a number of situations, only some appointments to the body concerned are made by the Minister, or appointments are made with the consent of another Minister.

The Boards of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and An Bord Pleanala are executive in nature and members are employed on a full time salaried basis.

Appointments are made taking into account the requirement of the position and the qualifications, experience and expertise of the potential candidates.

The following members were appointed to the Board of Pobal, a not-for-profit company under the aegis of my Department, by Government:

- Mr. Séamus Boland (Chair)

- Mr. Tommy Maguire

- Mr. Liam Keane

- Ms. Siobhan McLoughlin

- Ms. Jennifer McHugh

- Ms. Mari Hurley

- Mr. William Cotter

- Mr. Gerald Quain

- Cllr. John Kelleher

- Ms. Ann Costello

Article 3 of the Articles of Association of Pobal requires the Minister to consider nominations received from a list of stakeholders and the Social Partners defined by Government in 2005. The list comprises:

- National Social Partners - Social Partners party to the Sustaining Progress Agreement; and

- Stakeholders - Area and Community Partnership, County Childcare Committees, and County and City Managers Association.

A consultation process was conducted and 22 nominations received from the Stakeholders and the National Social Partners were considered for purposes of the Government appointments to the vacant positions on the board.