Niall Collins (Limerick, Fianna Fail)
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278. To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources the number of appointments made to State boards under his Department's remit since March 2011; the number of positions that have been advertised; the number of applications to the boards; the number of appointments to the board that were drawn from the applications; the current number of vacancies on each board; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28972/13]

Pat Rabbitte (Dublin South West, Labour)
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I have, for the past three 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. Thirty-one applications were received in 2011, thirty-seven applications were received in 2012 and eighty-eight applications have been received to date in 2013, following the advertisements for Expressions of Interest. 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.

I wish to advise the Deputy that there have been 72 appointments made to State Boards under the aegis of my Department in the period March 2011 to date and details of these are set out in the table below. 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. Applicants who expressed an interest in applying for a board are marked with an asterisk.

There are currently 12 vacancies on State Boards under the aegis of my Department, however, 6 of these vacancies are on the Board of the Digital Hub Development Agency and, in light of the proposed merger of that agency with Dublin City Council, it is not proposed to make further appointments at this time. There are 2 vacancies on the Board of An Post, 1 vacancy on the Board of TG4, 1 vacancy on Bord na Móna, 1 vacancy on Bord Gáis Éireann and 1 vacancy on the Board of the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland.

*Expression of Interest received

** Official in my Department

It should also be noted that 25 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.