Written answers

Tuesday, 8 July 2014

Department of Public Expenditure and Reform

Appointments to State Boards

Photo of Robert TroyRobert Troy (Longford-Westmeath, Fianna Fail)
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317. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if he will provide in tabular form the number of appointments to State boards under his Department's remit from March 2011 to date; the number of vacancies on State boards under his Department's remit from March 2011 to date; the number of vacancies on State boards under his Department's remit publically advertised from March 2011 to date; and the number of appointments to State boards under his remit drawn directly from the public advertisement process. [29196/14]

Photo of Brendan HowlinBrendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour)
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As the Deputy is aware in 2011 the Government introduced new arrangements for the appointment of State board members.  Under the new arrangementsDepartments now invite expressions of interest on their websites from the public in vacancies on the boards of bodies under their aegis. It is open to all members of the public regardless of gender, political affiliations or geographical location to apply for appointment to these vacancies.

I am satisfied that the new arrangements introduced by the Government in 2011 have significantly improved transparency in the making of appointments to State Boards compared with the making of appointments in previous years.

Since the formation of this Government 22 members have been nominated to State Boards under my remit. In the context of the sale of the National Lottery licence, I have considered it appropriate to re-appoint two of the Ministerial nominees to the An Post National Lottery Board; Mr. Micheál Ó Muircheartaigh has been re-appointed twice and Mr. Oliver Wilkinson has been re-appointed once.  Consequently, recourse to advertising the positions publicly did not arise. 

The Public Service Management (Recruitment and Appointments) Act, 2004 states that the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform (in consultation with Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government, the Minister for Health and the Minister for Justice and Equality) should appoint members of the Board of the Public Appointments Service.

The Public Appointments Service Board is meant to be representative of our client base.  The majority of the board are therefore civil or public servants, nominated by the relevant Minister.  There is also a union representative nominated by ICTU.  The two external members were appointed by me because of their expertise in strategic change and public service recruitment respectively.

In view of these statutory procedures for the appointment of members of the Boards, there is limited scope for me to use the Publicjobs.ie website. The following table give a breakdown of positions filled on State boards under my remit since March 2011:

Board NameYearNo. of Appointments madeNo. of Positions Advertised
An Post National Lottery Board201100
20122-
20136-
Public Appointments Service Board201190
20122-
20133-
Total-220

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