Departmental Bodies

Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 18 May 2023

Thursday, 18 May 2023

Questions (183)

Peadar Tóibín

Question:

183. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs further to Parliamentary Question No. 92 of 4 May 2023, the national processes to which he refers by which the Chair of the Consultative Forum on International Security Policy was appointed; the number of other persons who were considered in appointing a Chair to the Consultative Forum on International Security Policy; and who made the final the decision to appoint a person (details supplied) to the role of Chair. [23944/23]

Written answers

Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs

In my capacity as Tánaiste, Minister for Foreign Affairs and Minister for Defence, I have responsibility for appointing the independent Chairperson of the Consultative Forum.

As Deputies will be aware, Louise Richardson DBE, the highly respected former Vice-Chancellor of the University of Oxford and former Principal and Vice-Chancellor of the University of St Andrews, has kindly agreed to take on this important role. Ms. Richardson is a distinguished political scientist with a strong expertise in security policy in her own right. I am grateful to her for taking on this task.

Ms. Richardson has been appointed with due consideration to the experience and expertise required to execute the main functions of Chair. The appointment of Ms. Richardson was taken in-line with other national processes such as the Citizens’ Assembly, Commission on the Defence Forces and others.

I am confident that Ms. Richardson will play a hugely positive role in chairing and overseeing the discussions.