Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 14 July 2026
948. Deputy Malcolm Byrne asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht 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. [52861/26]
View answer949. Deputy Malcolm Byrne asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht 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. [52879/26]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 948 and 949 together.
There are a total of eight agencies under the remit of my Department to which appointments are made to State boards and in all cases, members of local authorities are not excluded from consideration for board membership.
The composition of the State boards of the Charities Regulator, the Charity Appeals Tribunal, the Western Development Commission, Water Safety Ireland and Údarás na Gaeltachta is set out in the respective establishing legislation for each agency. In each case there are no restrictions placed on the eligibility of members of local authorities to be considered for appointment to these boards, indeed, there are currently three local authority members serving on the board of Údarás na Gaeltachta.
Pobal operates as a company limited by guarantee, and a registered charity, and its operation and board composition are structured under its Constitution and the Companies Act 2014. The Guidelines on Appointments to State Boards are followed in respect of the selection process and members of local authorities are not precluded from being members of the Pobal board.
The board of An Foras Teanga Thuaidh Theas, the North-South Language Body, which incorporates Foras na Gaeilge and the Ulster-Scots Agency, is appointed by the North-South Ministerial Council in accordance with the provisions of the British-Irish Agreement Act, 1999. The Act does not preclude members of local authorities from being considered for board membership.
