Denis Naughten (Roscommon-South Leitrim, Independent)
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562. To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources the number of vacancies on each public board accountable to his Department; the steps he will take to fill vacant positions on each board; the process to be used to fill such vacancies; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48926/14]

Barry Cowen (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)
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569. To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources if he will provide the number of appointments to State boards under his Department's remit made since March 2011 to date; the number of vacancies in State boards under his Department's remit since March 2011 to date; the number of vacancies in State boards under his Department's remit publically advertised since March 2011 to date; and the number of appointments to State boards under his remit drawn directly from the public advertisement process. [49197/14]

Alex White (Dublin South, Labour)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 562 and 569 together.

I and my predecessor have outlined a number of times to this House the important changes in relation to appointments to State Boards which this government made from the outset to widen the opportunity to participate at State Board level. At its meeting of 30 September, the Government announced a revised model for appointments to State boards. From 1 November all vacancies on State boards must be advertised openly on the State Boards portal, , which is operated by the Public Appointments Service and at its meeting of 25 November 2014, the Government agreed the publication of guidelines entitled “which are available on the website of the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform.

There have been 130 appointments made to State Boards under the aegis of my Department in the period March 2011 to date, and of these, appointments filled by those who submitted Expressions of Interest amounted to 21 (16%). It should be noted that about 40% of the appointments made to Boards under the aegis of my Department are either ex-officio appointments, reappointments, the appointment of worker directors chosen by election, or appointments made from nominations made by an Oireachtas Committee.

There are currently 22 vacancies on State Boards under the aegis of my Department as set out in the table, however 7 of these vacancies relate to the Digital Hub Development Agency and in light of the merger of that agency with Dublin City Council, as decided by the Government, it is not proposed to make further appointments at this time. The remaining vacancies will be filled in accordance with the relevant statutory provisions and the guidelines approved by Government as set out above.