Barry Cowen (Offaly, Fianna Fail)
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690. To ask the Minister for Rural and Community Development the number of boards or agencies his officials have been appointed to; if there are guidelines or protocols for members of staff being appointed to boards or agencies; if so, when same were last updated; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6652/19]

Michael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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The Department of Rural and Community Developmentwas established on 19 July 2017 to provide a renewed and consolidated focus on rural and community development in Ireland.

The Department is committed to adhering to guidelines and protocols in relation to appointments to boards or agencies. The key policy in place in this regard is the Code of Practice for the Governance of State Bodies, as published by the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform (DPER), in August 2016.

This policy provides that board appointments must be made in compliance with the Public Appointments Service process set down in the Guidelines on Appointments to State Boards published by DPER, except where the manner of such appointment is otherwise prescribed in the specific statutory provisions relating to the State body.

I can confirm that one official from my Department is a member of the board of the National Digital Research Centre.