Minister Lawless invites expressions of interest to fill a vacancy on the Board of Directors of Skillnet Ireland

Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science James Lawless TD invites Expressions of Interest (EOI) from suitably qualified and experienced persons to fill three vacancies on the Board of Directors of Skillnet Ireland.

The term of office for the position will be for a period of three years.

Skillnet Ireland, established in 1999, is an aegis body of the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science (DFHERIS) and is funded from the National Training Fund.

Minister Lawless said:

The process of filling vacancies on the Board of Directors of Skillnet Ireland is being managed by DFHERIS. A detailed Information Booklet can be found at the following link: https://gov.ie/en/department-of-further-and-higher-education-research-innovation-and-science/publications/invitation-for-expressions-of-interest-skillnet-ireland-board-of-directors-ministerial-nominees/

Expressions of Interest may be made by submitting a Curriculum Vitae, detailed cover letter and completed EOI form to the Department at FETboardvacancies@dfheris.gov.ie. The closing date for the receipt of applications is 3pm on Friday, 18th July.

Skillnet Ireland

Skillnet Ireland was established in 1999 and is an aegis body of the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science. It is funded from the National Training Fund. The primary aim of Skillnet Ireland is to increase participation in enterprise training by companies to upskill the workforce and provide greater access for workers to skills development.

Skillnet Ireland is a Company Limited by Guarantee under the Companies Act 2014.

Role and Function of the Board of Directors

The Board of Directors act as stewards of Skillnet Ireland and have the authority and duty to manage the affairs and business of Skillnet Ireland and its subsidiary, Skillnets Services DAC. The Board of Directors is responsible for a system of internal financial control. It exercises this responsibility with the assistance of the Audit and Risk (ARC) Committee, the Finance and General Purpose (FGP) Committee and the Evaluation and Performance Monitoring (EPM) Committee of the Board. In discharging its obligations, the Board’s principal duties include:

• Providing leadership in setting Skillnet Ireland’s long-term strategic direction, and to approve and monitor Skillnet Ireland’s overall strategic plan, operating goals, operating budget, performance indicators and the business plans established to achieve them.
• Ensuring that the executive team consistently adheres to and implements policy and procedures as advised.
• Identifying the principal risks that need to be managed to achieve a proper balance between exposure to risks and potential returns and oversee the implementation of appropriate systems to manage these risks.
• Adopting policies and processes to enable effective communication with stakeholders, employees and the public.
• Developing practices to ensure that the Board functions independently of the Skillnet Ireland executive.
• Undertaking rigorous and formal evaluation of the Board’s own performance and that of individual directors at least every 18 months.

In 2025, the Board of Directors of Skillnet Ireland will be re-structured. The new structure will balance the enterprise-led ethos, which is central to Skillnet Ireland’s stakeholders, with the voice of employee representative organisations. The new structure will also recognise the predominant role of Government in relation to Skillnet Ireland’s governance and funding.

It should be noted that the current Constitution of Skillnet Ireland allows for only two of the three Ministerial appointments to be made. The third Ministerial appointment may only be confirmed once the revised Constitution of Skillnet Ireland has been adopted to reflect the new Board structure. Therefore, there is no guarantee that all three appointments will be made at the same time or at the end of the process.

Fees payable to Board members

Board members are paid a fee of €7,695 per annum. It should be noted that, in line with the ‘One Person, One Salary’ principle, no public servant will be entitled to receive remuneration in the form of Board fees, save for situations that are statutorily provided for e.g. Worker Directors.