Andrew Doyle (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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1147. To ask the Minister for Defence the steps his Department intends to take to ensure semi-State bodies and other organisations and bodies under the remit of his Department advertise vacant positions through the Public Appointments Service and publicjobs.ie in a clear and transparent manner; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39251/13]

Alan Shatter (Dublin South, Fine Gael)
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Recruitment to the Defence Forces is managed directly by my Department and is carried out by way of competitive process consisting of advertising in national newspapers, on the Defence Forces website , and through social media. In addition, there is a link to the Defence Forces website from the Public Appointments Service website. The only body under the aegis of my Department is the Army Pensions Board.

The Army Pensions Board is an independent statutory body established under the Army Pensions Act, 1927. The Act specifies that the Board shall consist of a chairman and two ordinary members. The two ordinary members must be qualified medical practitioners of whom one must be an officer of the Army Medical Corps. The chairman and the non-military ordinary member are appointed by the Minister for Defence with the concurrence of the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform. The Army Medical Corps ordinary member is appointed by the Minister for Defence on the recommendation of the Chief of Staff of the Defence Forces.

Expressions of interest for the position of civilian doctor to the Army Pensions Board were recently invited by way of advertisement on the Department's website and the Public Appointments Service website in line with new procedures introduced for appointments to State boards.

I am satisfied that all vacant positions are advertised in a clear and transparent manner and by the most appropriate means.