Niamh Smyth (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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1637. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the details of all State board appointments since the general election in 2016; the person who recommended each appointment; the credentials of those appointed; if the vacancy was publicly advertised; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [15171/18]

Josepha Madigan (Dublin Rathdown, Fine Gael)
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I am advised that all appointments to State boards under the aegis of my Department since the General Election in 2016 are as set out in the following table. The Public Appointments Service (PAS) operates a dedicated website, www.stateboards.ie, through which it advertises such vacancies. Since this website was set up in 2014 it has consistently been used by my Department to identify suitably qualified members of the public who are interested in serving on boards under my remit. Candidates must meet specific and detailed criteria that I have determined, in consultation with the relevant Chair, as necessary for the effective performance of the Board. These are then agreed with PAS and details of vacancies, essential and desirable requirements for the role(s) and the application process are published. Applications are assessed by an expert panel established by PAS and a list of suitably qualified candidates is proposed from which the Minister selects Board appointees

There are a number of specific exceptions from these arrangements including the appointment of members to a Board on an ex officio basis and nominations by a third party organisation such as a local authority and these are also listed in the following table. Appointments to boards of North/South bodies are also exempt from this process and are made by the North South Ministerial Council, on the basis of 50:50 nominations from each jurisdiction.

*Have resigned their positions on State Boards

**Appointments to boards of North/South bodies are made by the North South Ministerial Council, on the basis of 50:50 nominations from each jurisdiction.