Pearse Doherty (Donegal, Sinn Fein)
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203. To ask the Minister for Finance the number of names put to him to bring to Government for the post of Ireland's appointee as vice-president of the European Investment Bank; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20865/16]

Pearse Doherty (Donegal, Sinn Fein)
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204. To ask the Minister for Finance the number of applicants there were for the post of Ireland's appointee as vice-president of the European Investment Bank; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20866/16]

Pearse Doherty (Donegal, Sinn Fein)
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205. To ask the Minister for Finance the names of the two independent external third parties with appropriate senior level experience of the public service, banking and finance, and European Union Institutions appointed as part of the selection process for Ireland's appointee as vice-president of the European Investment Bank. [20867/16]

Michael Noonan (Limerick City, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 203 to 205, inclusive, together.

On 1 June I launched an open selection process to identify an Irish nominee as Vice President of the European Investment Bank. The position was advertised on the Department of Finance website and through the Public Appointments Service. 

The Vice President is a member of the EIB Management Committee which is the permanent executive body of the Bank which consists of the Bank President and eight Vice-Presidents. The Management Committee oversees day-to-day running of the EIB, under the authority of the President and the supervision of the Board of Directors, prepares decisions for Directors and ensures that these decisions are implemented by the Bank's management and staff. Comprising very experienced senior officials, Management Committee members are solely responsible to the Bank and are independent in the performance of their duties.

My Department received ten applications for the position by the stipulated deadline for applications of 10 June.

The selection process was conducted by a four-person Selection Committee comprising the Secretary General to the Government, the Secretary General of the Department of Finance, Ms Josephine Feehily, Chairwoman of the Policing Authority and Mr Donal de Buitleir, Chairman of the Low Pay Commission.

Following an initial assessment of applications, suitably qualified candidates were short-listed for a competitive interview based on experience, skills and ability to perform effectively in the position. Following this interview, the Selection Committee recommended a maximum of three candidates for consideration by the Minister for Finance who then brought the proposed nominee to Government for its approval. At its meeting on 6 July, the Government approved Mr. Andrew McDowell as Ireland's nominee to the position.