Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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19. To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources the procedure that is followed by his Department when appointing members of the public to State boards or other agencies under the aegis of his Department; if he will outline all appointments made by him to all boards or agencies since March 2011; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44974/13]

Pat Rabbitte (Dublin South West, Labour)
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This Government has made changes in relation to appointments to State Boards and bodies with new arrangements involving advertisement of vacancies for applications from suitably qualified candidates and, in accordance with the government Decision of 12 April 2011, I have, each year, on my 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. 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.

In 2011 there were 31 applications received following the advertisement for Expressions of Interest from which 3 appointments were made. In 2012 there were 37 applications received following the advertisement for Expressions of Interest from which 5 appointments were made. It should also be noted that about one third of the appointments in the following 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. The table details all appointments to State Boards which have been filled since 9 March 2011 to date, including the appointments made from the Expressions of Interest received, taking into consideration qualifications and legislative requirements where applicable.