Alan Kelly (Tipperary, Labour)
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50. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the reason board appointments are not being filled in the HEA; and his views on whether the organisation is adequately resourced to function. [31573/17]

Richard Bruton (Dublin Bay North, Fine Gael)
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The HEA Board currently comprises a Chairperson and 12 ordinary members. This includes two members who were reappointed to the Board recently.

The Minister is also inviting expressions of interest, through the Public Appointments Service, for a further two academic members. This application process is currently underway and the closing date for expressions of interest is 7 July.

Once these positions are filled, the Board of the HEA will comprise a Chair and 7 academic and 7 non-academic members. This satisfies the minimum number of Board members statutorily provided for under the HEA Act, 1971.

I am satisfied that the Board of the HEA is functioning effectively. However, in general, I am in favour of keeping state boards as small as possible and I will be looking to provide, through future legislation, for a reduced minimum size of the HEA Board.

In relation to resourcing of the organization more generally, my Department works closely with the HEA to ensure that its staffing requirements are met, within the provisions of the delegated sanction that has been agreed with the HEA and in the context of workforce planning requirements.