Willie Penrose (Longford-Westmeath, Labour)
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177. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the steps he is taking to satisfy himself that accurate information was furnished to his Department in respect of the appointment of the chief executive officer of Horse Racing Ireland; the basis upon which the said appointment proceeded; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27945/16]

Willie Penrose (Longford-Westmeath, Labour)
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178. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform his views on the fact that appropriate and necessary ministerial consent provided by him, which permitted the reappointment of the chief executive of Horse Racing Ireland, may have been made on the basis of facts which did not accord with the reality of the situation whereby there was no board approval made by HRI on 21 July 2016 or any other date; if, in that context, his views on whether he might have been misled concerning such approval; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27946/16]

Willie Penrose (Longford-Westmeath, Labour)
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179. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if, in respect of the appointment of the chief executive officer of any organisation, it is critical that the board would submit their approval concerning such appointment to the relevant Minister; if, in respect of the reappointment of the chief executive officer of HRI, it was made clear that the request of ministerial sanction and consent was subject to the advice of the board of duly appointed directors signalling their agreement to such appointment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27947/16]

Paschal Donohoe (Dublin Central, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 177 to 179, inclusive, together.

The appointment of the Chief Executive is a matter for the Board of Horse Racing Ireland under the relevant legislation.

The Board of Horse Racing Ireland formally reappointed the Chief Executive Officer on the 21st of July on terms and conditions approved by the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine and the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform.

Willie Penrose (Longford-Westmeath, Labour)
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180. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform his views on whether the reappointment of the chief executive officer of HRI clearly breached the Government guidelines as set down by the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform, which specified strict time limits of the duration for time in which the CEO of a commercial semi-State body should serve; if, in the context of the reappointment of the CEO for HRI, this was clearly breached insofar as at the end of this contract period they would have served in excess 19 years, which is clearly not in accordance with the prescribed guidelines; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27948/16]

Paschal Donohoe (Dublin Central, Fine Gael)
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I refer the Deputy to my answer to PQ Ref 25170/16 on the 15.09.2016.

Generally, the Chief Executive Officer of commercial state bodies is appointed by the Board and holds office on terms and conditions determined by the Board with the consent of the relevant Minister and the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform.

The Guidelines on Contracts, Remuneration and Other Conditions of Chief Executives and Senior Management of Commercial State Bodies issued in 2006 provided general guidance at that time on remuneration, contracts, performance related pay and related matters for newly appointed Chief Executives of commercial state bodies. However, terms and conditions of appointment remain a matter in each case for consent by the line Minister and the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform in the context of policy developments on the remuneration and conditions applicable to CEO appointees the terms of which have been revised significantly from the 2006 guidelines in light of the national financial constraints.

The recently published (effective 1 September 2016) updated Code of Practice for the Governance of State Bodies includes current guidelines on the contractual terms and conditions of appointment for CEOs in commercial state bodies.  The Code provides that the term of a contract of a CEO in such bodies is normally limited to a single contract period of between five and seven years. Notwithstanding this provision there is however no maximum length of service specified for CEOs in such contractual arrangements.