Written answers

Tuesday, 23 September 2014

Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine

Appointments to State Boards

Photo of Richard Boyd BarrettRichard Boyd Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, People Before Profit Alliance)
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232. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine his views that no conflict of interest has arisen with the appointment by Coillte of the former Secretary General of his Department with responsibility for forestry to its board on his retirement in 2010; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35358/14]

Photo of Simon CoveneySimon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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I am taking it that the Deputy is referring to the appointment of a former Assistant Secretary General of my Department to the Board of Coillte with effect from 1 January 2010. It should be noted that, in accordance with the provisions of the Forestry Act 1988 under which Coillte was established, the person was appointed to the Board by the then Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food with the consent of the Minister for Finance, and not by Coillte itself.

As a State owned body, Coillte is subject to the Department of Finance ‘ Code of Practice for the Governance of State Bodies’. In line with the Code, Board members are appointed to act on a fully informed basis, in good faith, with due diligence and care, and in the best interest of the State body, subject to the objectives set by Government. The Code outlines the procedures to be followed by the Members of the Boards of State bodies in relation to the disclosure of interests by Directors.

A relevant criterion, in making a board appointment, is to ensure that all of those appointed to State boards have the relevant mix of knowledge and expertise to contribute to the board. Knowledge of the forest sector and the corporate governance requirements applicable to State bodies would be appropriate in this context.

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