Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 14 July 2026
191. Deputy Malcolm Byrne asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Finance if there is a specific policy within his Department that seeks to preclude those elected to local authorities from any boards that he may appoint; the rationale behind any such policy; the way in which it aligns with encouraging participation in local government; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52854/26]
View answer192. Deputy Malcolm Byrne asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Finance to commit to preparing legislation to not automatically exclude members of local authorities from consideration for appointment to State boards; and to set out the reasons such persons would be excluded. [52872/26]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 191 and 192 together.
I wish to advise the Deputy there is no explicit policy within my Department which seeks to preclude those elected to local authorities from any State Board appointment. The State Board appointment system operate under the Guidelines for Appointments to State Boards (2014).
Appointments are made via Public Jobs on an open, merit-based process.
The following State Bodies have statutory provisions in their individual Acts which preclude specific categories of individuals from eligibility for appointment. These include individuals appointed to local authorities.
• Financial Services and Pensions Ombudsman Act 2017 (FSPO)
• Central Bank Act 1942 (as revised) (Central Bank Commission)
• Fiscal Responsibility Act 2012 (IFAC)
• National Treasury Management Agency (Amendment) Act 2014 (NTMA)
• National Asset Management Agency Act 2009 (NAMA)
The individual Acts of following State Bodies have no explicit legislation which precludes appointment, however they refer to internal governance documents which sets out terms and conditions of appointment.
• Home Building Finance Act 2018 (HBFI)
• Strategic Banking Corporation of Ireland Act 2014 (SBCI)
Credit Union Restructuring Board is currently being dissolved.
I currently have no plans to review the position regarding appointments to the Boards of these bodies.
