From Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth
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As part of good governance and accountability, most bodies appoint a board to oversee the activities of that body. State bodies are no different.
The Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth has responsibility for a number of state bodies. The Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth nominates and appoints members to many of the boards of those state bodies. These are called state boards.
Following the government's decision of 30th September 2014 concerning new arrangements for filling vacancies on state boards and the publication by the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform of the Government approved guidelines, the Public Appointments Service (PAS) is now responsible for the management of the process of advertising and selection of suitable potential appointees for consideration by the Minister in filling state board vacancies.
All appointments (with some limited exceptions) are to be advertised on the state boards portal, stateboards.ie. This portal facilitates the:
The government requires that in future, in addition to advertising the vacancy on a state board on stateboards.ie, that appointees meet specific and detailed criteria determined by the Minister as necessary for the effective performance of the relevant role(s); and are processed by way of a transparent assessment system designed and implemented by PAS to support the Minister in making appointments to state boards under the remit of the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth.
Persons being proposed for appointment as chairpersons of state bodies or agencies will still be required to make themselves available to the appropriate Oireachtas committee to discuss the approach which they will take to their role as chairperson and their views about the future contribution of the body or board in question. Following that discussion, decisions will be taken by the Minister or the government, as appropriate, to confirm the nominee as chairperson.
Certain board appointments, while made by the Minister, are not made at the Minister's sole discretion. Appointments in these instances are made on foot of nominations from various organisations specified in the relevant statute and are required to come from particular bodies or to hold particular qualifications.
The Minister may, from time to time, also decide not to fill all existing vacancies.
Members of state boards may be entitled to some remuneration and/or refund of expenses incurred in doing their work. The One Person One Salary Principle precludes all public servants from receiving fees.
Click on each of the state boards at the link below for information on each, including their membership, when the members were appointed, when their appointments expire and the nominating body.
There is further information regarding appointments to state boards under the aegis of the department.