Shane Ross (Dublin South, Independent)
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81. To ask the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation to set out details of the average age of chairpersons and non-executive directors of State or partially-owned State companies, State bodies, semi-state bodies and of State agencies under the aegis of his Department on the State's payroll; the number of directors on the board of more than one such body; the number of women; and his plans to make savings from this area. [12559/15]

Shane Ross (Dublin South, Independent)
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82. To ask the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation the total number of chairpersons and non-executive directors of State or partially owned State companies, of State bodies, of Semi-State bodies and of State agencies under the aegis of his Department on the State's payroll; the total cost to the State from the payout to these non-executive directors including fees, travel and other expenditure; his plans to reduce the number of these chairpersons or directors. [12609/15]

Richard Bruton (Dublin North Central, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 81 and 82 together.

There are 10 Non-Commercial State Sponsored Bodies under my Department's remit and no Commercial Bodies. Of the State agencies under the aegis of my Department 41% of the board members are female. The information sought by the Deputy in relation to each is as follows:

Personal Injuries Assessment Board

The Personal Injuries Assessment Board was established under Part 3 of the Personal Injuries Assessment Board Act 2003. The Personal Injuries Assessment Board (PIAB) is self-funding through income generated from fees charged to claimants and respondents. The agency does not receive direct funding from the Exchequer.

PIAB has one non-executive Chairperson and nine non-executive directors. According to its 2013 Annual Report five non-executive directors received Board fees in 2013. The total cost of these fees in 2013 was €59,850. There were no expenses paid to Board members in 2013. I have no plans to reduce the number of Directors on the Board of PIAB.

Details of the average age of the chairperson and non-executive directors of PIAB are not available. Five of the non-executive Directors are women.

IAASA

The Irish Auditing and Accounting Supervisory Authority (IAASA) is established under the Companies (Auditing and Accounting) Act, 2003, as a company limited by guarantee and governed by a board of fifteen directors. Fourteen of the directors, including the Chairperson, are non-executive directors and the CEO, an executive director, is an ex-officio member nominated by the Board of IAASA.

A total of €27,565 was paid in 2014 to the non-executive directors of IAASA in respect of fees, travel and other expenditure.

Of the fifteen IAASA board members there are nine females and six males.

With regard to savings in respect of the IAASA Board, it is envisaged that there will be savings following the commencement of the Companies Act 2014 on 1 June 2015. Through Section 907 of the Act I provided for the reduction in the number of directors of IAASA, from its current number of fifteen to a maximum of nine including the Chief Executive Officer.

Health and Safety Authority

The Board of the Health and Safety Authority consists of a Chairperson and 11 ordinary members appointed in accordance with the provisions of Section 37 and the Fifth Schedule of the Safety, Health and Welfare at Work Act 2005, by the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation. The appointments are for a term of 3 years in a part-time capacity and in accordance with the terms and conditions of Schedule 5 of the 2005 Act, no member shall serve for more than 2 terms.

Total Board Fees Paid to Members of the Board of the Health and Safety Authority for 2013 was €88,920 and the total for expenses paid to members of the Board for 2013 amounted to €10,289. The HSA does not hold records in relation to the ages of Board members. The HSA does not have any information relating to the number of Directors who hold other Board memberships. There are currently 3 women members of the Board of the HSA.

Low Pay Commission

The Low Pay Commission which was established on an interim basis on February 26th 2015 comprises a Chairperson and 8 members. In total there are 5 men and 4 women on the Commission.

The Chairperson is entitled to an annual fee of €20,520. The members are entitled to an annual fee of €11,970. The Chair and the members are also entitled to travel and subsistence expenses in line with Department of Public Expenditure and Reform Regulations. Under the one person one salary principle, where members, including the Chair, are already employed by a body within the Irish public sector, no fee is payable to that member. One member has voluntarily waived the fee and will not claim for travel and subsistence expenses.

Information relating to the age of the Chairperson is not available.

Labour Relations Commission

The LRC has a Board comprising of 7 members with 5 members currently serving and two members The total cost for Members of the Board of the Labour Relations Commission (LRC) for 2014 was € 68,400. No other expenditure was incurred for the LRC's Board. One Board member John Hennessy is also the Chair of the Higher Education Authority. The ages of the Chairperson and the members of the Board of the Labour Relations Commission are not available. One of the 5 members is female.

A Reform Programme is underway which will deliver a two tier Workplace Relations structure by merging the activities of the Labour Relations Commission, the Equality Tribunal, the National Employment Rights Authority and the first instance functions of the Employment Appeals Tribunal and the Labour Court into a new Body of First instance to be known as the Workplace Relations Commission. The appellate functions of the Employment Appeals Tribunal will be incorporated into an expanded Labour Court. There will be savings made as a result of shared services and abolition of the LRC Board, but more importantly, the new streamlined structures will provide a quicker, simpler and improved service for the taxpayer.

National Standards Authority of Ireland

The National Standards Authority of Ireland Act, 1996 specifies that the Board be appointed from among those interests involved in the process of standardisation and certification of commodities, processes and practices, without any single interest predominating, taking into account guidelines issued from time to time by the Government, and in particular, providing for staff-representation on the Board.

The Board consists of 13 members. The total Board Fees Paid 2014 was €59,148.69. Board expenses paid in 2014 amounted to €2,742. The Gender Balance on Board in 2014 was 46% Female/54% Male, and the average age of Board members is unknown.

Enterprise Ireland

Enterprise Ireland is established under The Industrial Development (Enterprise Ireland) Act, 1998. The Board shall consist of 12 members and shall include the Chief Executive Officer.

The members of the Board (other than the chief executive officer) shall, as soon as may be after the establishment day, be appointed by the Minister, with the consent of the Minister for Finance. The Minister of the day designates one member of the Board as Chairperson. The total costs for 2014 amounted to €110,966 comprising of fees of 104,783 and travel and other expenses of €6,183. None of the directors on the board is a Director of another State Body. 4 women currently sit on the EI Board (including the CEO who is not a non-exec).

IDA

The Industrial Development Act 1993 is the statute under which the Industrial Development Agency (Ireland) (IDA) was established.

The legal basis underpinning the Board of IDA is set out in the First Schedule to the Industrial Development Act 1993, as amended. This provides that:-

(i) the IDA Board shall consist of 12 members,

(ii) members of the Board are appointed by the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation, with the consent of the Minister for Finance, and

(iii) the Chief Executive Officer of IDA is ex officio a member of the Board.

Science Foundation Ireland

The establishment, membership, appointment of a chairperson, and meetings of the Board of Science Foundation Ireland have as their legal basis the Industrial Development (Science Foundation Ireland) Act 2003.

The Science Foundation Ireland's Board comprises a Chair and 11 members including the Director General (receives no fee). In total there are currently 7 men and 5 women on the Board. The Chairperson is entitled to an annual fee of €20,520. The Members of the Board are entitled to an annual fee of €11,970. Under the one person one salary principle where members are already employed by a body within the Irish public sector no fee is payable to that member. This principle currently applies to three Members of the Board in addition two Members of the Board have voluntarily waived the fee. Information relating to the age of the Chair and Board Members is not available. In 2014, Board Fees amounted to €93,980 and Board Expenses were €41,584.

InterTrade Ireland

InterTrade Ireland is not a 'State Agency, rather it is a 'North South Body' under the Good Friday Agreement, with joint Irish and UK enabling legislation. The status of these appointments is unlike those for State Agencies/Bodies. Crucially I do not have the final say on Board appointments. The final decision is made by the North South Ministerial Council in Armagh and the Northern Ireland administration has an effective veto over our nominees.

The Competition and Consumer Protection Commission

The Competition and Consumer Protection Commission was established on the 31st October 2014 through the amalgamation of the Competition Authority and the National Consumer Agency, as provided for in the . The Commission has a new dual mandate to enforce competition and consumer protection and will build on the work of the legacy organisations to protect and strengthen competition, empower consumers to make informed decisions and protect them from harmful business practices. The Commission does not have a Board.

Finally, in relation to savings and reductions in this area, I would draw the Deputy's particular attention to a number of reforms I have implemented since coming to office to rationalise our Agency structures with the attendant savings that arise, including:

- Forfás having been dissolved and integrated with the Department,

- The Competition and Consumer Protection Commission being created from a merger of the National Consumer Agency and the Competition Authority,

- The 35 County and City Enterprise Boards being dissolved and succeeded by 31 Local Enterprise Offices (LEOs)

- The enterprise functions of Shannon Development transferring to IDA Ireland and Enterprise Ireland, the tourism functions of Shannon Development moving to Bord Fáilte and the merging of Shannon Development and Shannon Airport into a new commercial state company under the aegis of the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport.