Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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203. To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources if it is intended to improve the gender balance on the board of Inland Fisheries Ireland by appointing two women to the existing vacancies on the board of Inland Fisheries Ireland, in view of the fact that the current board is made up of six men and one woman and that there is a Government objective to have a gender balance on all State boards; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43641/13]

Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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204. To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources if he intends appointing a water scientist to the board of Inland Fisheries Ireland, as the only qualified scientist on the board has stepped down after her first term of office; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43642/13]

Pat Rabbitte (Dublin South West, Labour)
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I propose to take Question Nos. 203 and 204 together.

The Inland Fisheries Act 2010 established Inland Fisheries Ireland (IFI), outlined its functions and set out in some detail the provisions for appointing a person to the Board of IFI.

The Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources appoints members as follows:

3, including the Chairperson, on his own nomination.

1 nominated by the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government.

1 nominated by the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht.

3 following advice from the Joint Oireachtas Committee of the names of the person(s) it proposes the Minister should appoint.

The Act also provides that one Board member is appointed following election by the staff of IFI and that the Chief Executive Officer shall be an ex-officio member of the Board.

In addition, since taking office, this Government has introduced a process to seek Expressions of Interest from persons wishing to be considered for appointment to vacancies on State Boards and this information has been used to inform decisions for appointments to State Boards. Such invitations are designed to extend the range of suitable persons from which a Minister might make appointments, not to constrain that range.

The majority of members of the Board of IFI were appointed during the term of the previous Government and there are no current vacancies on the Board of IFI.

Recent appointments were made in accordance with the Act and the widened opportunity for participation that this Government has introduced. All future appointments will also be made in this manner. In considering applications, due regard is also had to the Government's commitment regarding gender balance on state boards.