Barry Cowen (Offaly, Fianna Fail)
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257. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the number of boards or agencies to which his officials have been appointed; 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. [6644/19]

Joe McHugh (Donegal, Fine Gael)
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For the Deputy's information, Department officials serve on six of the eighteen boards of non commercial agencies under the aegis of my Department.

Criteria for board appointments to bodies under the aegis of my Department is typically informed by the legislative provisions of enabling and relevant Acts of the Oireachtas which gives authority to the State Bodies.

As the Deputy will be aware, Government Departments are typically directed by guidance circulars and office notices issued centrally from the Departments of Finance and Public Expenditure and Reform (D/PER), as appropriate. Protocols documents concerning appointments to State Boards offer advice on the roles and responsibilities of Board members including specific guidance to Civil Servants issue centrally.

Accordingly, officials are guided by the following D/Finance and D/PER guidance documents;

- Code of Practice for the Governance of State Bodies - September 2016. This comprehensive guidance document addresses governance across a range of areas, including, but not limited to, the role of the Board, role of the board chairperson, role of board members, Ethics in public office and disclosure of interest by Board members,

- Guidance Circular on Appointments to State Boards - November 2014

- Circular 12/2010 - Protocol for Civil Servants nominated to the boards of non-commercial State Bodies - August 2010.

Letters of appointment of new board members generally include reference details concerning the key aspects of the Code of Practice for the Governance of State Bodies to guide new board members.