Written answers

Tuesday, 26 November 2013

Department of Justice and Equality

Departmental Bodies Data

Photo of Shane RossShane Ross (Dublin South, Independent)
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506. To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality the number of quangos operating under the aegis of his Department; the total number of directors sitting on their boards; the aggregate fees incurred by the State in paying the remuneration of directors of these quangos; the number of quangos that have been created since the formation of the Government; the number that have been disbanded over the period; the projected cost to the taxpayer of the establishment and operation of these new quangos; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50556/13]

Photo of Alan ShatterAlan Shatter (Dublin South, Fine Gael)
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I presume that the Deputy is referring to Government agencies falling under the remit of my Department. The term "quango" is an acronym which stands for "quasi-autonomous non-governmental organisations". No non-governmental organisations fall under the remit of my Department.

In the context of the Deputy's question, State Agencies is taken to refer to statutory independent bodies which has a governance oversight responsibility for an organisation. In this regard I have detailed below the sixteen agencies under my remit.

- An Garda Síochána

- Courts Service

- Equality Authority and Human Rights Commission (to be merged)

- Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission

- Irish Film Classification Office

- Insolvency Service of Ireland

- Legal Aid Board

- Mental Health (Criminal Law) Review Board

- National Disability Authority

- Office of the Data Protection Commissioner

- Office of the Inspector of Prisons

- Office of the Refugee Applications Commissioner

- Private Security Authority

- Property Registration Authority (to be merged with the Ordnance Survey Ireland (OSI) and Valuation Office)

- Property Services Regulatory Authority

- Refugee Appeals Tribunal.

Of these the following are agencies which have Boards.

Agencies with BoardNumber of Board Members (including Chairperson where applicable)Aggregate Members Fees/Salary*

(€)
Courts Service1759,850
Equality Authority and Human Rights Commission (to be merged)****
Legal Aid Board1388,920
Mental Health (Criminal Law) Review Board4Chairperson - salary 75,000

Members - per case 250
National Disability Authority1368,828
Private Security Authority1158,140
Property Registration Authority (to be merged with the OSI and Valuation Office)11116,280
Property Services Regulatory Authority1162,843

*The Deputy should note that the above information concerning board members fees has been provided on the basis of full membership (i.e. no vacancies) in a year and that all members, other than civil/public servants who by legislation are required to be members of the boards, were paid.

Since the current Government took office the following agencies under the remit of my Department were established:

- Property Services Regulatory Authority (PSRA)

- Insolvency Service of Ireland (ISI)

The PSRA and the ISI were allocated budget estimates for 2013 of €848,000 and €7,398,000, respectively.

No agency under the remit of my Department was disbanded since March 2011.

**The fourteen outgoing board members of the Equality Authority accepted reappointment in September 2011 for a further term which concluded at the end of July 2012, and therefore the issues of selection did not arise. The Deputy will be aware that the Human Rights Commission and the Equality Authority are in the process of merging to form a new enhanced Irish Human Rights and Equality Authority Commission (IHREC) to promote human rights and equality issues in a more efficient, effective and coherent way. The Working Group that I established to advise me on the practical issues in relation to the establishment of a new Commission in its Report of April 2012 recommended that an independent Selection Panel be set up for the purpose of appointing the new members. This is in line with a fundamental requirement of the Paris Principles that the members of the IHREC be independent and that the selection process be independent of Government.

In November 2012 advertisements inviting expressions of interest for the position of Chief Commissioner and of "ordinary" member appeared in the media. The independent panel forwarded its recommendations of 14 names in March 2013. While the persons recommended cannot be appointed to the IHREC in advance of the required legislation being enacted and commenced, the Government has appointed the 14 individuals as members of the Human Rights Commission and subsequently they will be appointed as members of the IHREC when the legislation is enacted, on a 3 year or 5 year basis to ensure that the term of office of all members of the new Commission will not come to an end at the same time so as to preserve institutional continuity. On 31 May 2013, I appointed 12 of their number to the board of the Equality Authority, under the Employment Equality Act 1998, as amended, on an interim basis of 3 years, but which will otherwise expire when the Bill to establish the IHREC is enacted and commenced and the two bodies are dissolved.

A single fee of €7,695 is payable to the 14 members designate of the IHREC, in respect of both organisations. The annual fee for the vacant position of Chief Commissioner designate is €125,761.

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