Pat Deering (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fine Gael)
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224. To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources the procedure that was followed for the selection of the new chairman of EirGrid. [51420/13]

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, Expressions of Interest have been invited 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. The Members of the Board of EirGrid, and the Chairperson of the Board, are appointed by the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources with the consent of the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform. Such appointments are made under Statutory Instrument No. 445 of 2000. On 12 November, the Government agreed to appoint Mr. John O'Connor to chair the Board of EirGrid. Mr. O'Connor has been invited to attend before the Joint Committee on Transport and Communications on 3 December 2013, prior to his appointment's being formalised.