Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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1492. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he is satisfied that all public appointments that come within the remit of his responsibilities have followed Government guidelines; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24331/16]

Michael Creed (Cork North West, Fine Gael)
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From a HR perspective, my Department recruits almost all staff through the Public Appointment Service (PAS).  PAS recruits for the Civil and Public Service and its recruitment campaigns are operated in compliance with the Codes of Practice for Public service appointments.  When an urgent need to fill a vacancy arises and PAS is not in a position to schedule a competition, my Department may decide to run the competition itself; the Department has a recruitment licence and always proceeds in accordance with the Public Appointments Service (PAS) guidelines.

Internal promotion competitions and any other competitions run by my Department are also operated in compliance with the Code of practice for Public service appointments.

The position in relation to the filling of vacancies on the boards of State Bodies under the aegis of my Department is that, other than those filled on the basis of nominations from specified organisations as stipulated in legislation, vacancies are advertised on www.stateboards.ie and processed in accordance with the Public Appointments Service (PAS) guidelines.

The appointment of Chief Executive Officers to the State Bodies under the aegis of my Department is a matter for the Board of each State Body, subject to my approval and that of the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform as required in the relevant legislation. The guidelines for such appointments are issued by the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform. Exceptions have occasionally been made based on business imperatives, subject to obtaining the necessary consent.

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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1493. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if the board of Horse Racing Ireland discussed or agreed the extension of five years for the current contract of the CEO; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24334/16]

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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1494. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if it is normal practice for a chairman of a State board to seek approval from their board before seeking contract extensions for the company's CEO; his views on whether this is good governance and if it is in practice for all Government appointments; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24338/16]

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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1495. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if a chairman presents a business case to his Department does he and his Department presume the board have been consulted to give their agreement to same; if not, his views on whether this is best practice; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24339/16]

Michael Creed (Cork North West, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 1493 to 1495, inclusive, together.

Horse Racing Ireland (HRI) is a commercial state body established under the Horse and Greyhound Racing Act, 2001, and is responsible for the overall administration, promotion and development of the horse racing industry.

The appointment of the Chief Executive Officer is a matter for the Board, subject to the consent of the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform and Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine.

The questions referred to by the Deputy are an operational matter for HRI.