Kevin Humphreys (Dublin South East, Labour)
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605. To ask the Minister for Social Protection if she will provide a list of all bodies, boards or committees under the remit of her Department to which ministerial appointments are made; the statutory provision providing for the making of such appointments in each case; the annual allowances or other payments made to the chairperson; the annual allowance or other payment made to an ordinary member; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37499/13]

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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The statutory bodies operating under the aegis of the Department of Social Protection are the Citizens Information Board, the Pensions Board, the Pensions Ombudsman (which does not have a board) and the Social Welfare Tribunal.

Citizens Information Board

The legislative provisions relating to the Citizens Information Board (C.I.B.) are contained in the Comhairle Act 2000 and Citizens Information Act 2007.

The annual allowance payable in respect of the chairperson is €8,978 and in respect of ordinary members is €5,985. The current chairperson and one of the ordinary Board members do not draw down fees associated with their position on the Board. The C.I.B. staff representative and the Departmental representative are not eligible to receive any payments.

In addition, Board members are entitled to claim such travel and subsistence as is necessary to facilitate them to attend board and/or other committee meetings, or to transact its business, subject to provisions of the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform Travel and Subsistence Policy.

Pensions Board

The Pensions Act 1990 (as amended) provides for the establishment of the Pensions Board and for the appointment of Board members. The Chairperson of the Pensions Board receives a fee of €11,970 per annum with ordinary members receiving €7,695 per annum. Civil Servants on the Board do not receive any fees and furthermore it should be noted that some members of the Board have waived their fees.

The Public Service Reform Programme provided for a critical review of the integration of the regulatory functions of the Pensions Board with the Financial Regulator and the merging of the Pensions Ombudsman with the Financial Services Ombudsman

The recommendations arising out of the Critical Review on the Pensions Board were approved by Government in April 2013 and were provided for in the Social Welfare and Pensions Act, 2013.

The governance structure of the Pensions Board is being restructured with two distinct arms as follows:

-Oversight of the Pensions Board will be undertaken by a three person body called the Pensions Authority, and

-A separate unpaid Pensions Council, with a majority of members representing consumer interests, will advise the Minister on pensions policy.

Under existing provision in the Pensions Act, the Chair and members are appointed by the Minister.

Social Welfare Tribunal

Section 333 of the Social Welfare Consolidation Act2005 sets out the provisions under which appointments are made to the Social Welfare Tribunal. It provides that the Tribunal consists of a chairman and four ordinary members. The members of the Tribunal are appointed by the Minister.

Members of the Tribunal do not receive a salary although attendance fees are payable for hearings and meetings. Members are also entitled to standard travel and subsistence allowances if appropriate. The fees payable to the members of the Tribunal are listed below.

Chairman: €488.11 per sitting day - €73.44 for meetings

Ordinary Member: €136.71 per sitting day - €68.36 for meetings.

Kevin Humphreys (Dublin South East, Labour)
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606. To ask the Minister for Social Protection if she will provide a list of the boards, bodies or committees under the remit of her Department where there is currently a vacancy to be filled by ministerial appointment; if so, if the vacancy relates to the chairperson or an ordinary member or members, specifying the number of vacancies in each case; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37514/13]

Kevin Humphreys (Dublin South East, Labour)
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607. To ask the Minister for Social Protection if she will provide a list of the bodies, boards or committees under the remit of her Department where there is anticipated to be a vacancy within the next six months to be filled by ministerial appointment; if so, if the anticipated vacancy relates to the chairperson or an ordinary member or members, specifying the number of anticipated vacancies in each case; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37529/13]

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 606 and 607 together.

The statutory bodies operating under the aegis of the Department of Social Protection are the Citizens Information Board, the Pensions Board, the Pensions Ombudsman (which does not have a board) and the Social Welfare Tribunal.

Citizens Information Board

There are currently two vacancies on the Citizens Information Board. Both vacancies relate to ordinary board members. A public request for expressions of interest resulted in 76 applications being received through the Public Appointments Service (PAS). Appointments will be made in accordance with the legislation on completion of the selection process. No further vacancies are anticipated within the next six months.

Pensions Board

Following from the Critical Review of the Pensions Board under the Public Service Reform Plan, the governance structure of the Pensions Board is in the process of changing to form two bodies:

the Pensions Authority, a three person body which will have oversight of the Pensions Board; and a separate unpaid Pensions Council, with a majority of members representing consumer interests, which will advise the Minister on pensions policy.

Under existing provision in the Pensions Act, the Chair and members are filled by Ministerial appointment and this will continue to apply to the new structures. It is expected that vacancies for the Pensions Council will be advertised through PAS in the coming months.

Social Welfare Tribunal

There are no current vacancies on the Board of the Social Welfare Tribunal and it is not anticipated that one will become available within the next six months.