Seán Ó Fearghaíl (Kildare South, Fianna Fail)
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289. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the total number of appointments to State boards since March 2011 under the aegis of his Department; the total number of appointments that have been advertised on his Department’s website; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32305/14]

Brendan 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 the Minister 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 to advertise these positions. The following tables give a breakdown of positions filled on State boards under my remit since March 2011:

Seán Ó Fearghaíl (Kildare South, Fianna Fail)
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290. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the number of chairpersons appointed to State boards under the aegis of his Department since March 2011 that have appeared before the relevant Joint Oireachtas Committee; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32320/14]

Brendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour)
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In response to the Deputy's question I can confirm that no chairperson appointed to State Boards under the aegis of my Department since March 2011 has appeared before their relevant Joint Oireachtas Committee.