Tommy Broughan (Dublin Bay North, Independent)
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958. To ask the Minister for Health if he has made State board appointments in the past three years in circumstances in which he has reappointed a person that has already served two full terms contrary to the advice in section 13.2 of the Guidelines on Appointments to State boards; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19765/19]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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The nomination and appointment process for boards of bodies under the aegis of my Department is set out in legislation. In line with Government Decision S180/20/10/1617 of 2014 and Guidelines set out by the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform relating to the advertising for expressions of interest in vacancies on State Boards, my Department in conjunction with the Public Appointments Service currently advertises for board vacancies as they arise, where I, as Minister for Health, have nominating rights under relevant legislation. I also appoint members on the nomination of various bodies, again in accordance with the relevant legislation.

I have made 28 re-appointments of individuals who have already served two terms to 12 state boards during the past three years. As with all re-appointments, consultation takes place with the Chair of the Board regarding the re-appointment of members who have demonstrated through their performance on the state board their effectiveness and contribution which warrants their re-appointment.

While I am always mindful of the advice referred to by the Deputy, there are at times other factors including the need for unique and specialised knowledge in certain health fields, that mean that the re-appointment of a board member is the best course of action for that board and the organisation in question.