Written answers

Tuesday, 3 November 2015

Department of An Taoiseach

Appointments to State Boards

Photo of Catherine MurphyCatherine Murphy (Kildare North, Social Democrats)
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152. To ask the Taoiseach if he will indicate, in respect of State boards under his Department's remit, the name of each appointee made from 7 March 2011 to date in 2015; the date of appointment; whether or not each appointee came through an advertised public application process; the number of vacancies which currently exist on State boards under his remit; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37369/15]

Photo of Enda KennyEnda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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I make appointments to the National Economic and Social Council (NESC) and the National Statistics Board (NSB).

The NESC provides guidance to Government on strategic issues for Ireland’s economic and social development.

Since coming into office on 9 March 2011, I have made appointments to the National Economic and Social Council (NESC) as set out in the table beneath. The appointments are made in accordance with the National Economic and Social Development Office Act 2006 and S.I. No. 603 of 2010, National Economic and Social Council (Alteration of Composition) Order 2010. There are currently no vacancies on the National Economic and Social Council.

I appoint members specifically on the basis of nominations from business and employer interests, the Irish Congress of Trade Unions, farming and agricultural interests, the community and voluntary sector and the environmental sector. I may also appoint up to six public servants of whom at least one shall represent the Taoiseach and one shall represent the Minister for Finance. These appointments represent relevant Departments to ensure NESC's work is integrated with Government policy-making. I also appointed eight independent members to the NESC in 2011, in most cases from the academic sector. These appointments were made following careful consideration of the necessary skills, knowledge and expertise relevant to the functions of the Council as required by the legislation.

Table 1: Details of appointments made by the Taoiseach to NESC since 9 March 2011 are set out in the table beneath.

Name
Organisation
Date of

Appointment
Mr. Martin Fraser, Chairperson of NESCSecretary General, Department of the Taoiseach
August 2011
Mr. John Shaw, Deputy Chairperson of NESCAssistant Secretary, Department of the Taoiseach
January 2012
Prof. Edgar MorgenrothAssociate Research Professor, Economic and Social Research Institute
June 2011



Prof. John McHale Economist, National University of Ireland, Galway
June 2011
Prof. Mary DalyProfessor of Sociology and Social Policy, Senior Research Fellow of Green Templeton College, Department of Social Policy and Intervention, University of Oxford
June 2011
Prof. Anna DavisDepartment of Geography, Trinity College Dublin
June 2011
Prof. Seán Ó RiainDepartment of Sociology, National University of Ireland, Maynooth
June 2011



Dr. Michael O’SullivanHead of Portfolio Strategy and Thematic Research, Credit Suisse, London
June 2011
Ms. Mary Walsh Chartered Accountant
June 2011
Dr. Michelle NorrisSenior Lecturer, School of Applied Social Science, University College Dublin.
July 2011
Mr. Shay CodyIMPACT
September 2011
Mr. John Murphy Secretary General, Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation
November 2011
Mr. Seán Ó Foghlú Secretary General, Department of Education and Skills
February 2012
Mr. John MoranSecretary General, Department of Finance
March 2012
Mr. John McCarthy Secretary General of the Department of Environment, Community and Local Government
March 2014
Mr. Derek Moran Secretary General, Department of Finance
July 2014
Ms. Karen Murphy St Vincent De Paul
September 2014
Ms. Patricia King ICTU
March 2015

Section 18 of the Statistics Act 1993 provides for the composition of and appointments to the National Statistics Board (NSB). It provides that the NSB shall consist of eight members comprising the following seven persons who shall be appointed by the Taoiseach:

- five persons of proven ability and experience in relevant fields - two of whom shall be nominated by the Taoiseach and three of whom shall be nominated by such organisation or organisations as the Taoiseach considers to be representative of the users of official statistics and providers of information under this Act

- Assistant Secretary or equivalent or higher grade in the Department of the Taoiseach

- Assistant Secretary or equivalent or higher grade in the Department of Finance together with the Director General, ex officio.

The Chairperson is appointed by the Taoiseach from among the members of the Board.

My functions in relation to the NSB were delegated to the Government Chief Whip, Minister of State Paul Kehoe T.D., on the 22 March 2011. In 2012 an Assistant Secretary from my Department was appointed to the board to fill a vacancy in line with Section 18 of the Act.

The term of membership of the previous board expired in 2013. The Chair and Civil Servants on the Board were reappointed for a new term of three years. Expressions of interest were invited for the four remaining positions on the NSB. These positions were advertised on the websites of the Department of the Taoiseach and the National Statistics Board. In March 2014 Minister of State Kehoe appointed four persons from among the expressions of interest received.

Also in 2014, an Assistant Secretary from the Department of Finance was appointed to replace an Assistant Secretary from that Department on the NSB. There are currently no vacancies on the NSB.

Name of Appointee to NSBDate of Appointment
Dr. Patricia O’Hara, ChairpersonOctober 2013
Ms. Rowena Dwyer March 2014
Mr. Tom GeraghtyMarch 2014
Dr. Helen JohnstonMarch 2014
Mr. Gerard O’NeillMarch 2014
Mr. John Callinan, Assistant Secretary, Department of the TaoiseachSeptember 2012

October 2013

(Re-appointed)
Mr. John McCarthy, Assistant Secretary, Department of FinanceMarch 2014
Mr. Michael McGrath, Assistant Secretary, Department of FinanceOctober 2013
Mr Padraig Dalton, Director General, CSO
Where appropriate and consistent with the legislation it is intended that future appointments will be advertised on Stateboards.ie

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