John Paul Phelan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fine Gael)
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82. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government if he intends to expedite the establishment of the Maritime Area Regulatory Authority to ensure that the board is in place before the end of 2022; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52263/22]

Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Fianna Fail)
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The process to recruit the Chairperson and up to six ordinary members for the Board of MARA is well underway. This process, which is being managed by the State Boards Division of the Public Appointments Service, commenced on 12 September 2022 and the closing date for submission of expressions of interest was 3 October 2022. 

An assessment panel convened by the Public Appointments Service will now work towards preparing a  shortlist of suitably qualified candidates which will be submitted to me. I will make the appointments from this list. Relevant Ministers and the County and City Management Association have also been invited to submit suitable nominees for the Board in accordance with the establishing legislation.  

In addition, the campaign to recruit a Chief Executive Designate was launched on 30 September 2022. This competition is being managed by the Public Appointments Service on behalf of the Top Level Appointments Committee (TLAC), and the closing date for applications is 20 October 2022. 

A dedicated unit is in place within my Department to progress the establishment of the agency and work is currently being undertaken across three work streams - Governance, Operational Development and Corporate Development. Appointing a Chief Executive Designate, Chairperson and Board are critical elements of MARA's governance and reflect my commitment to establishing the agency as early as possible in 2023.