Clare Daly (Dublin Fingal, Independent)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

585. To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if all Tusla CEOs to date have been appointed through open competition; and if not, the methodology used to select the winning candidate in each case. [52898/18]

Clare Daly (Dublin Fingal, Independent)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

586. To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if an open competition for the post of Tusla CEO is being run by the Public Appointments Service; and if not, the reason therefor. [52899/18]

Katherine Zappone (Dublin South West, Independent)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

I propose to take Questions Nos. 585 and 586 together.

Tusla, the Child and Family Agency was established on the 1 January, 2014, following the enactment of the Child and Family Agency Act, 2013. Section 28 of the Act deals with the Appointment of the Chief Executive Officer (CEO). It provides that the Minister can appoint the first CEO but otherwise the Board of the Child and Family Agency is responsible for the appointment of the CEO in accordance with the Public Service Management (Recruitment and Appointments) Act 2004.

Mr. Gordon Jeyes was nominated by the then Minister for Children and Youth Affairs, Ms Frances Fitzgerald as the first Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Tusla under Section 28(2) of the Child and Family Agency Act, 2013.

Mr. Jeyes' successor, Mr. Fred McBride was appointed as CEO by the Board of the Child and Family Agency, in February 2016, in accordance with Section 28(1) of the Child and Family Agency Act, 2013. This appointment followed an open competition run by the Public Appointments Service (PAS) on behalf of Tusla, and in accordance with the Public Service Management (Recruitment and Appointments) Act, 2004.

Following Mr. McBride's resignation, Tusla conducted a competitive process with a request for expressions of interest seeking an internal candidate. Mr. Pat Smyth, Tusla's Director of Finance, was successful at interview and subsequently appointed by the Board as interim CEO with effect from 1 October 2018

The Public Service Management (Recruitment and Appointments) Act, 2004 provides for a modern and efficient framework for public service recruitment which allows for increased flexibility, while maintaining high standards of probity. It empowers Government Departments and other public service bodies to recruit staff directly under licence, as well as through the centralised recruitment system provided by PAS.

The Board of Tusla has advised me that an open competition for the post of Tusla CEO will be run by the Public Appointments Service.