Catherine Murphy (Kildare North, Independent)
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751. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he will itemise in tabular form the occasions on which his Department has engaged the services of external professional advice such as a company (details supplied) on the appointment of persons to State boards; if he will list the fees paid in respect of such services; the persons who were ultimately appointed on foot of advice received; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4995/14]

Catherine Murphy (Kildare North, Independent)
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752. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he will identify any instances where a person appointed to a State Board after recruitment advice was received from professional external consultants was subsequently deemed to be unqualified for the duties and responsibilities attached to the role; the costs incurred in obtaining advice in respect of each such instance; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5011/14]

Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 751 and 752 together.

My Department has not availed of any external services or professional advice in the board membership appointment process. I announced new procedures for appointment to boards in April 2011 and all subsequent appointments have followed these procedures. They include an open invitation for expressions of  interest in serving on the board of any of the agencies under the remit of my Department.  This invitation was renewed in January 2013.

In inviting applications, I have sought able candidates with experience or qualifications in finance (including audit capability and/or project assessment), law, corporate governance, marketing, IT, or  with experience relevant to the transport, tourism and sports sectors. I stated clearly that, given the importance of ensuring the right mix of skills and experience on every board, appointments would not necessarily be confined to those who had made such an expression of interest. I may also decide from time to time not to fill all existing vacancies. I have received over 500 expressions of interest to date from which over 65 have been appointed.  Details of all appointments and vacancies are published on .