State Agencies

Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 11 January 2012

Wednesday, 11 January 2012

Ceisteanna (586)

Maureen O'Sullivan

Ceist:

592 Deputy Maureen O’Sullivan asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the number of State agencies currently financed by the Exchequer; the number of board members attending each State agency; the expenses issued for each meeting; if any review of the membership of board members is to be taken in order to monitor attendance levels or lack of attendance by any member; and if he will make a statement on the matter; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2051/12]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government (Deputy Phil Hogan)

Details of the Exchequer funded State Agencies under the aegis of my Department are outlined in the following table:

	Number of Board Members
An Bord Pleanála	10
Environmental Protection Agency	5
Interim Housing and Sustainable Communities Agency	8
Irish Water Safety	12
Radiological Protection Institute of Ireland	12
Western Development Commission	12

The Boards of An Bord Pleanála and the Environmental Protection Agency are executive in nature, and board members are full time, salaried positions. Consequently, board members do not receive attendance expenses.

Under Section 3.8 of the Revised and Up-dated Code of Practice for the Governance of State Bodies, published by the Department of Finance in 2009, each Board should keep under review its own performance and that of its committees and individual directors and the attendance of each Board Member at board meetings should be reported in the Agency’s Annual Report. Composite details in relation to expenses in the Exchequer funded Agencies are also available within the respective annual reports. The Interim Housing and Sustainable Communities Agency was established initially on an administrative basis in 2010, its board was appointed in 2011 and it will publish its first annual report, covering 2011, this year.