Billy Timmins (Wicklow, Independent)
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56. To ask the Minister for Social Protection if there is a list of applicants for positions on boards, State bodies in her Department; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [42467/14]

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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The statutory bodies operating under the aegis of the Department of Social Protection are the Citizens Information Board, the Pensions Authority, the Pensions Council, the Pensions Ombudsman (which does not have a Board) and the Social Welfare Tribunal. Appointments to position on Boards under the remit of the Department are made in accordance with the relevant legislation, guidelines governing appointments to State Bodies in the “Code of Practice for the Governance of State Bodies”, and guidelines on arrangements for filling vacancies arising on State Boards issued by the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform.

Citizens Information Board

There are currently three vacancies on the Citizens Information Board. A public request for expressions of interest has resulted in the receipt of 76 applications through the Public Appointments Service (PAS). Appointments to the Board will be made in accordance with the legislation on completion of the selection process.

Pensions Authority

The Pensions Authority consists of three members:

- A Chairman appointed by the Minister for Social Protection,

- An officer and representative of the Department of Social Protection nominated by the Minister, and

- An officer and representative of the Department of Finance nominated by the Minister for Finance.

Pensions Council

Legislation enacted in 2013 provides that the Pensions Council will be comprised of:

- A chairperson,

- One member nominated by the Minister as a representative of the Department of Social Protection,

- The Pensions Regulator (formerly called the chief executive of the Pensions Board),

- One member nominated by the Minister for Finance as a representative of the Central Bank,

- One member nominated by the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform as a representative of the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform,

- Not fewer than 4, and not more than 8, other members each of whom the Minister considers to have the relevant skills, specialist knowledge, experience or expertise to enable him or her to carry out his or her functions under the Pensions Act.

The recruitment process for “other members” of the Pensions Council was conducted through the Public Appointments Service (PAS). People interested in serving as members of the Pensions Council were invited to make expressions of interest to the PAS earlier this year, and 56 such applications were received. These are currently being considered and appointments will be made shortly.

Social Welfare Tribunal

The Social Welfare Tribunal consists of a Chairperson and four ordinary members, two on the nomination of Irish Congress of Trade Unions (ICTU) and two nominated by Irish Business and Employers' Confederation (IBEC). Legislation (Social Welfare Consolidation Act 2005, Section 331-333) provides that the four ordinary members of the Tribunal are appointed by the Minister on the recommendation of the two relevant bodies.

The Chairperson is sourced by the Department of Social Protection by way of a recommendation from the Labour Court with regard to a particular candidate’s suitability. The current Tribunal member’s term is due to run until 4 October 2015.