Written answers
Tuesday, 14 October 2014
Department of Finance
Appointments to State Boards
Terence Flanagan (Dublin North East, Independent)
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65. To ask the Minister for Finance if he will provide a list of all State board appointments since the 2011 general election; the person who recommended each appointment; the credentials of those appointed; if the vacancy was publicly advertised; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39281/14]
Michael Noonan (Limerick City, Fine Gael)
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The information requested is set out in the following table.
| Name | Date Appointed | Recommended | Credentials | Publicly Advertised | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Credit Union Restructuring Board (ReBo) | - | - | - | - | - |
| Mr Robert (Bobby) McVeighChairman | All members appointed to the board of ReBo with effect from 31 August 2012. | Appointed by the Minister for Finance following advertisement on www.publicjobs.ie Interviewed for the position of Chairman and appointment approved by the Minister | Former Chair of the World Council of Credit Unions (WOCCU). Mr McVeigh has 40 years experience in the international credit union system. He has hands-on experience in the restructuring of the credit union sector in Canada where he chaired a 2-year process associated with restructuring a provincial credit union system. He has a deep understanding of the history of the credit union sector in Ireland and the challenges to be addressed going forward. | All Board posts (13) were advertised on Publicjobs.ie. 6 appointments were made as a result of applications made through the Publicjobs.ie website. | |
| Mr Eoin McGettigan | Appointed by the Minister for Finance following advertisement on www.publicjobs.ie | Mr McGettigan of McGettigan and Associates is a consultant providing strategic advice and practical support to Irish retailers, assisting them in overcoming major business challenges. He has 30 years experience in retail and wholesale businesses both in Ireland and the UK. | |||
| Mr Tom Kavanagh (Resigned on 30 June 2014) | Appointed by the Minister for Finance following advertisement on www.publicjobs.ie | Mr Kavanagh is a founding partner of kavanaghfennell and one of Ireland's leading insolvency and forensic accounting experts. He has over 20 years experience in corporate recovery / insolvency and has extensive experience of business analysis. He has been involved in a number of corporate restructuring projects. | |||
| Mr Brendan Burke | Appointed by the Minister for Finance following advertisement on www.publicjobs.ie | Mr Burke was Chief Operations Officer with Rabobank in Ireland and in the Netherlands and worked as Chief Operations Officer with Mediobanca in the UK. He has significant experience of business transformation, process re-engineering, start-ups, program management, systems implementation, outsourcing and service centre activities. He is a qualified accountant with many years financial services experience, including cooperative banking in Ireland and abroad. His experience includes retail, corporate and investment banking and fund management. | |||
| Ms Kathleen Prendergast | Appointed by the Minister for Finance following advertisement on www.publicjobs.ie | Ms Prendergast has been actively involved for over 20 years as a volunteer in Tipperary Credit Union, serving as its first female President. She has experience in local, national and international credit union business. She is a member of the Board of Social Finance Foundation which is a wholesale provider of repayable loan finance at affordable rates to community-based projects and local development initiatives. | |||
| Mr Stephen O'Donovan | Appointed by the Minister for Finance following advertisement on www.publicjobs.ie | Mr O'Donovan is a Chartered Certified Accountant and has worked for over 20 years in senior advisory, finance and general management roles, in public practice, SMEs and multinational plc environments. He has advised and worked with organisations on business planning, restructuring, corporate governance and change management, and has had significant mergers and acquisitions experience, both in public practice and with a world leading food and ingredients plc. | |||
| Mr Joe O'Toole | Appointed by the Minister for Finance as an independent member of the Commission on Credit Unions | Mr O'Toole is a founder member and Director of Comhar Linn, the INTO Credit Union. He spent many years as an independent Senator during which time he introduced credit union reform legislation in the Seanad. He was also a member of the Commission on Credit Unions. | |||
| Mr Pat Fay Irish League of Credit Unions (ILCU) | Nominated by ILCU at the request of the Minister for Finance | Mr Fay is a member of the Board of Directors and Executive Committee of the Irish League of Credit Unions (ILCU). He also holds the positions of Director and Chair of the ILCU International Development Foundation Company Limited. He was Chief Operations Officer and head of monitoring of the ILCU where he was responsible for the operational aspects of the League activities and safety and soundness of affiliated credit unions. He has extensive knowledge of international credit union systems and evolution, including UK, USA, Canada and Africa. | |||
| Mr Jimmy JohnstoneIrish League of Credit Unions (ILCU) | Nominated by ILCU at the request of the Minister for Finance | Mr Johnstone has vast credit union experience being a volunteer Director, Supervisor of ASTI Credit Union since 1989. He has served as Credit Union Treasurer and Chairman and as Irish League of Credit Unions (ILCU) Treasure, Vice-President and President. | |||
| Mr Tim Molan Credit Union Managers Association (CUMA) | Nominated by CUMA at the request of the Minister for Finance | Mr Molan has worked in the credit union sector since 1982. He is a professional credit union manager and has been manager of Cashel Credit Union since 1998. He is a member of the National Executive of the Credit Union Managers' Association (CUMA) since 2002. He is also a former member of the Credit Union Advisory Committee (CUAC) and the Commission on Credit Unions. | |||
| Mr Kevin JohnsonCredit Union Development Association (CUDA) | Nominated by CUDA at the request of the Minister for Finance | Mr Johnson has been CEO of Credit Union Development Association (CUDA) since 2008. In his time with CUDA he has evolved its business model to now include Representation Services, Strategic Development - to support credit unions effectiveness and efficiency, and Competency Development to enhance the skills of all credit union personnel both volunteers and employees. He contributed to CUDA's input to the Commission on Credit Unions, including representation and participation. | |||
| Mr Neil RyanAssistant Secretary, Department of Finance | Department of Finance representative | Mr Ryan is Assistant Secretary, Department of Finance. He joined the Department in July 2011. | |||
| Ms Elaine ByrneDeputy Head, Registrar of Credit Unions | Nominated by the Central Bank at the request of the Minister for Finance | Ms Byrne is Deputy Head, Registrar of Credit Unions at the Central Bank of Ireland and is a non-voting member on the Board of ReBo. | |||
| Irish Financial Services Appeals Tribunal (IFSAT) | - | - | - | - | - |
| Name | Date Appointed | Recommended | Credentials | Publicly Advertised | Comments |
| Francis D. Murphy (Chairperson) | 2013 | Mr Murphy was originally appointed by the previous administration. He was re-appointed in 2013 following a submission by the Department of Finance outlining the appointment options available. | Mr Murphy is a former Supreme Court Judge. | Seven vacancies arose in 2013 as a result of all Tribunal members coming to the end of their term of appointment as set out in legislation. The vacancies were advertised on the Publicjobs.ie website. Three members were re-appointed. A further three appointments were made as result of applications made through the publically advertised process. | The Irish Financial Services Appeals Tribunal (IFSAT) members are appointed by the President on the nomination of the Government. Section 57E of the Central Bank Act 1942 (as amended) outlines the credentials that an individual must have before being appointed as a member of the (IFSAT). A person is eligible to be appointed as the Chairperson or Deputy Chairperson only if the person is a former judge of the Supreme Court or the High Court, or a barrister or solicitor of not less than 7 years standing. A person is eligible to be appointed as a lay member only if the President is satisfied that the person has special knowledge or skill in relation to the provision of financial services. |
| Inge Clissmann (Deputy Chairperson) | 2013 | Ms Clissmann was originally appointed by the previous administration. She was re-appointed in 2013 following a submission by the Department of Finance outlining the appointment options available. | Ms Clissmann SC was called to the Irish Bar in 1978 and took silk in 1994. She was called to the Bar of Northern Ireland in 1996. | ||
| Geraldine Clarke | 2013 | Ms Clarke was originally appointed by the previous administration. She was re-appointed in 2013 following a submission by the Department of Finance outlining the appointment options available. | Ms Clarke is a qualified solicitor specialising in commercial law and a former President of the Law Society of Ireland. | ||
| Paul Brennan | 2013 | Mr Brennan applied to become a member of IFSAT through the publically advertised expressions of interest process. Following this process, the Department of Finance compiled a list of potential candidates. | Mr Brennan is a qualified solicitor with considerable experience of the tribunal process and court procedures, both as a practising solicitor and a chairperson of the Mental Health Tribunals. | ||
| Helen Collins | 2013 | Ms Collins applied to become a member of IFSAT through the publically advertised expressions of interest process. Following this process, the Department of Finance compiled a list of potential candidates. | Ms Collins is a former partner and Head of Litigation in McCann FitzGerald, with extensive experience in commercial litigation and is currently Deputy Chair of the Adoption Authority of Ireland. | ||
| Teresa Pilkington | 2013 | Ms Pilkington applied to become a member of IFSAT through the publically advertised expressions of interest process. Following this process, the Department of Finance compiled a list of potential candidates. | Ms Teresa Pilkington SC is a practising barrister with almost 20 years' experience in the chancery areas of probate and succession, trusts and estates, land law and conveyancing as well as extensive commercial litigation experience. | ||
| Conor Power | 2013 | Following consultation with the Office of the Tánaiste, Mr Power was recommended as a candidate. | Mr Conor Power BL is a practising barrister in general civil litigation with a specialty in the areas of human rights, constitutional law, public law, employment law and children's law. | ||
| Central Bank Commission | - | - | - | - | - |
| Name | Date Appointed | Recommended | Credentials | Publicly Advertised | Comments |
| Michael Soden | 2014 | Mr Soden was originally appointed in 2010 by the former Minister for Finance. He was re-appointed in 2014 following a submission by the Department of Finance outlining the appointment options available. | Mr Soden was CEO of Bank of Ireland from 2001 to 2004. Prior to returning to Ireland to take up this post he spent more than 30 years with several major international financial institutions, primarily involved in all aspects of capital markets. In that time he served on the Executive Committee of National Australia Bank with responsibility for Global Wholesale Banking and latterly for Global Retail Banking. He also was responsible for the development of Security Pacific Bank's international capital markets activities. He spent the early part of his career with Citibank/Citicorp Investment Bank, Canada. | Mr Soden was re-appointed in October 2014. The position was not publicly advertised. | Section 24 of the Central Bank Act 1942 (as amended) outlines the credentials that an individual must have before being appointed to the Central Bank Commission. As Minister for Finance, I may appoint a person as a member of the Commission if and only if I am of the opinion that the person has relevant knowledge of: accountancy, actuarial science, banking, consumer interests, corporate governance, economics, financial control, financial regulation, financial services, insurance, law, social policy, or systems control. |
| Des Geraghty | 2014 | Mr Geraghty was originally appointed in 2010 by the former Minister for Finance. He was re-appointed in 2014 following a submission by the Department of Finance outlining the appointment options available. | Mr Geraghty is a former politician and trade union leader. He was president of SIPTU from 1999 to 2004. He was appointed to the European Parliament in 1992 for the Dublin constituency. He was a member of the Committee on Economic and Monetary Affairs and Industrial Policy in the European Parliament. He is a former member of the RTÉ Authority, the Board of FÁS, the National Competitiveness Council, the Affordable Homes Partnership and the National Economic and Social Council and a former Chair of Poetry Ireland. | Mr Geraghty was re-appointed in October 2014. The position was not publicly advertised. | |
| Blanaid Clarke | 2014 | Ms Clarke was originally appointed in 2010 by the former Minister for Finance. Following an approach by the Governor of the Central Bank and consultation with the Department of an Taoiseach and an Tánaiste, she was re-appointed in 2013. | Ms Clarke holds the McCann Fitzgerald Chair in Corporate Law at Trinity College Dublin. Her research interests include corporate governance, financial services law, securities law and takeover law and she has published extensively in these areas. She works with the Irish Takeover Panel and is a member of the European Securities and Markets Authority Takeover Bids Network. She was a founding member of the Institute of Directors' Centre for Corporate Governance at University College Dublin and a member of the European Commission's Reflection Group on the Future of EU Company Law. | Ms Clarke was re-appointed in October 2013. The position was not publicly advertised. | |
| Patricia Byron | 2014 | The Central Bank Commission identified the need for a new member to have an insurance background. The Department of Finance compiled a list of potential candidates and Ms Byron emerged from that list. | Ms Byron is the Chief Executive Officer of the Injuries Board, an independent State body established in 2004 to reform a costly personal injuries claims model. Over recent years she has also been involved in a number of efficiency initiatives in support of public sector reform. Ms Byron previously worked in the insurance sector for the major part of her career, leaving the executive team in Aviva directly before taking up her current role. She is a graduate of University College Dublin, a Chartered Insurer, a former Chairperson of the Motor Insurers Bureau of Ireland and was the first female president of the Insurance Institute of Dublin. She has served on the Board of the Institute of Public Administration and is a past Chairperson of the Association of Chief Executives of State Agencies. | Expressions of interest were sought for positions on the Central Bank Commission in 2012. | |
| Financial Services Ombudsman Council | - | - | - | - | - |
| Name | Date Appointed | Recommended | Credentials | Publicly Advertised | Comments |
| Mr Dermott JewellChairperson | 29th October 2013 | CEO - Consumers Association of Ireland | The FSOC was re-appointment in October 2013 having expressed their willingness to serve. | The Council is structured to broadly represent a balance of consumer, financial services and public interest. Financial Services Ombudsman Council was reappointed for a 2 year term up to 28th October 2015 or until the merger of the Financial Services Ombudsman with the Pension Ombudsman has been completed. In view of the short term of the Council and the amalgamation of the Offices of the Pension Ombudsman and the Financial Services Ombudsman which will require the experience of the existing Council to effect, these positions were not advertised. The appointment of an additional person with specific legal qualifications and experience was also required. | |
| Mr Paddy Leydon | 29th October 2013 | Regional Business Manager Bank of Ireland | |||
| Mr Frank Wynn | 29th October 2013 | Director of Group Compliance & Operational Risk - Irish Life Group | |||
| Ms Caitriona Ni Charra | 29th October 2013 | 19 years' experience with MABS (with particular interest with debt and poverty issues) | |||
| Mr Tony Kerr | 29th October 2013 | 2013 Senior Lecturer, College of Business & Law, UCD | |||
| Mr Michael Connolly | 29th October 2013 | Consultant | |||
| Ms Elizabeth Walsh | 29th October 2013 | Solicitor | |||
| Strategic Banking Corporation of Ireland (SBCI) | - | - | - | - | - |
| Name | Date Appointed | Recommended | Credentials | Publicly Advertised | Comments |
| John Corrigan Chairperson | 10th September 2014 | Department of Finance and the National Pension Reserve Fund | Chief Executive NTMA | The appointments to the board were not publically advertised | These appointments to the first Board of the SBCI were not publically advertised. Their credentials satisfy the criteria for membership of the Board of the SBCI as they have senior expertise and experience of the spheres laid out in section 15 (e) of the SBCI's Articles of Association. These appointments to the first board of the SBCI were recommended by the Department of Finance and the National Pension Reserve Fund. |
| Ann Nolan | 10th September 2014 | Department of Finance and the National Pension Reserve Fund | Second Secretary General Department of Finance | ||
| Nick Ashmore | 10th September 2014 | Department of Finance and the National Pension Reserve Fund | Project Director of SBCI | ||
| Irish Fiscal Advisory Council | - | - | - | - | - |
| Name | Date Appointed | Recommended | Credentials | Publicly Advertised | Comments |
| John McHale (Chair) | 7th July 2011 | Ph.D and A.M degrees from Harvard, and first-class M.Econ.Sc. and B.Comm. degrees from the National University of Ireland | These posts were not publicly advertised. | The composition of a body such as a Fiscal Council is critical to its independence and credibility. In following the Common Principles set by the European Commission under the Fiscal Compact, candidates were sought who hold valuable experience and demonstrate competence in their fields of expertise. A significant number of potential candidates were considered against a range of criteria. The criteria included the desire of having a mix of appropriate backgrounds, namely academia, the financial sector/financial markets and public finance; expertise in macroeconomic/microeconomic and a strong international dimension, in addition to the need to take gender considerations into account. As would be normal practice, the process by which potential nominees were identified, considered and selected involved officials from my Department. The final decisions regarding the appointments were made by me following consultations with Cabinet colleagues and others. | |
| Mr Sebastian Barnes | 7th July 2011 | MSc in Economics from the London School of Economics, a master's degree in European Political Economy from the College of Europe (Bruges), and a bachelor's degree in Philosophy, Politics and Economics from the University of Oxford. | |||
| Professor Alan Barrett | 7th July 2011 | Ph.D. and M.A from Michigan State University, and a B.A from Trinity College Dublin. | |||
| Dr Donal Donovan | 7th July 2011 | Ph.D. from the University of British Columbia and a bachelor's degree from Trinity College Dublin. | |||
| Dr Roisin O'Sullivan | 7th July 2011 | Ph.D. in economics from the Ohio State University, and master's and bachelor's degrees from the National University of Ireland, Galway. | |||
| National Treasury Management Agency Advisory Committee | - | - | - | - | - |
| Name | Date Appointed | Recommended | Credentials | Publicly Advertised | Comments |
| Mr Derek Moran | 3 September 2014 | Secretary General of the Department of Finance | No | It has been the practice since the establishment of the National Treasury Management Agency to appoint the Secretary General of the Department of Finance to the Advisory Committee. | |
| Mr John Moran 6 March 2012July 2014 | 6 March 2012July 2014 | Secretary General of the Department of Finance | No | It has been the practice since the establishment of the National Treasury Management Agency to appoint the Secretary General of the Department of Finance to the Advisory Committee. | |
| Mr Willie Walsh | 11 November 2013 | Minister Noonan | Chief Executive of International Airlines Group (IAG), the parent company of British Airways. Previously he was Chief Executive at British Airways and Aer Lingus. | No | |
| Mr Don Roth | 1 January 2014 | Former Managing Partner of EMP Global LLC and former vice-president and Treasurer of the World Bank. | No | This post was a reappointment | |
| National Pensions Reserve Fund Commission | - | - | - | - | - |
| Name | Date Appointed | Recommended | Credentials | Publicly Advertised | Comments |
| Dr Frances Ruane | 1 July 2014 | Director of the Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI). | No | Post was not advertised as it was a re-appointment | |
| Mr Maurice Keane | 5 February 2012 | Company Director and Retired Group Chief Executive of Bank of Ireland | No | Post was not advertised as it was a re-appointment | |
| State Claims Agency Policy Committee | - | - | - | - | - |
| Name | Date Appointed | Recommended | Credentials | Publicly Advertised | Comments |
| Dr Noel Whelan (Chairman) | 1 July 2012 | Vice President and Dean Emeritus, University of Limerick | No | Post was not advertised as it was a re-appointment. | |
| Mr Fachtna Murphy | 27 June 2012 | Minister Howlin | Former Garda Commissioner | Advertised on the websites of the Departments of Finance and Public Expenditure and Reform. Mr Murphy was selected on the basis of his application | |
| Ms Wendy Thompson | 27 June 2012 | Minister Howlin | Insurance & Litigation Manager, Railway Procurement Agency | Advertised on the websites of the Departments of Finance and Public Expenditure and Reform. Ms Thompson was selected on the basis of her application. | |
| Mr Charlie Hardy 27 June 2012 18 November 2013. | Minister Howlin | Principal Officer, Department of Health representative | No | Department nominee (A Department of Health representative has, by convention, been appointed to the SCA Policy Committee). | |
| Ms Mary Jackson | 4 December 2013 | N/a | Principal Officer, Department of Health representative | No | Department nominee (A Department of Health representative has, by convention, been appointed to the SCA Policy Committee). |
| National Development Finance Agency Board | - | - | - | - | - |
| Name | Date Appointed | Recommended | Credentials | Publicly Advertised | Comments |
| Mr Brian Murphy | Re-appointed 1 January 2013 | Mr John Corrigan Chief Executive NTMA | Chief Executive NDFA | No | Re-appointment of CEO to the Board by the Minister for Finance and the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform. |
| Mr Robert Watt | 18 July 2012 | Minister Howlin | Secretary General, Department of Public Expenditure and Reform | Vacancy was advertised on Department of Finance and Department of Public Expenditure and Reform websites. The Secretary General of the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform was appointed to the Board | |
| Mr Gerry Murray | 18 July 2012 | Minister Howlin | Chief Executive, Institutes of Technology Ireland | Vacancy was advertised on Department of Finance and Department of Public Expenditure and Reform websites. Mr Murray was selected on the basis of his application | |
| Ms Petrina Smyth | 18 July 2012 | Minister Howlin | Partner and head of Irish Tax Group Walkers | Vacancy was advertised on Department of Finance and Department of Public Expenditure and Reform websites. Ms Smyth was selected on the basis of her application. | |
| National Asset Management Agency | - | - | - | - | - |
| Name | Date Appointed | Recommended | Credentials | Publicly Advertised | Comments |
| John Mulcahy | March 2012 | NAMA - Ex Officio appointment - Head of Portfolio Management | Mr Mulcahy is a chartered surveyor and has worked in all aspects of the property industry for over 40 years, most recently concentrating on property investment and asset management. | No | |
| Oliver Ellingham | 10 April 2013 | NAMA Board following the IBRC Liquidation | Chairperson of the Risk Management Committee and Member of the Audit Committee. He is a chartered accountant and a former Head of Corporate Finance (Europe) at BNP Paribas and a senior executive within BNP Paribas UK. He currently holds non-executive directorships in a number of companies and is Chairman and owner of Woking Storage Solutions. He previously also held senior management roles within Charterhouse Bank (now part of the HSBC Group) and Robert Fleming (now J P Morgan) and served as a member of the Board of IBRC between October 2011 and February 2013. | No | |
| Brian McEnery | Reappointed to the board in 2013. | Chairperson of the Audit Committee and Member of the Northern Ireland Advisory Committee. He specializes in corporate rescue and insolvency and is a partner in a leading firm of accountants and business advisors and practices in Limerick and Dublin. He is a Fellow of the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA) and a council member of ACCA. In 2010 he was the President of ACCA Ireland. He is a director of the Consultative Committee of Accounting Bodies (CCAB) and serves on its insolvency committee in Ireland. | No | ||
| Willie Soffe | Reappointed to the board in 2013 | Chairperson of the Planning Advisory Committee and Member of the Finance and Operating Committee. He has over 45 years service in Local Government in the Dublin area, during which time he has held the positions of Assistant City Manager, Dublin Corporation (now Dublin City Council) and County Manager, Fingal County Council. Since retiring in 2004, Mr. Soffe has carried out a number of public service assignments including Chairman of the Dublin Transport Office, a member of the Commission on Taxation and a member of the Steering Group on the Review of Area-Based Tax Incentive Renewal Schemes. | No | ||
| Mari Hurley | 8 April 2014 | Ministerial Nomination | Chairperson of the Planning Advisory Committee and Member of the Finance and Operating Committee. He has over 45 years service in Local Government in the Dublin area, during which time he has held the positions of Assistant City Manager, Dublin Corporation (now Dublin City Council) and County Manager, Fingal County Council. Since retiring in 2004, Mr. Soffe has carried out a number of public service assignments including Chairman of the Dublin Transport Office, a member of the Commission on Taxation and a member of the Steering Group on the Review of Area-Based Tax Incentive Renewal Schemes. | No |
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