Isme calls for independent body to make State board appointments

AN INDEPENDENT commission to appoint people to State boards should be set up to prevent “political cronyism”, the small businesses group Isme has said.

The call came after 48 appointments were made by the Government to the boards of State bodies in the last 10 days, including 25 made by the Taoiseach. A further 10 appointments are expected to be made shortly.

Over the Christmas break, 90 such appointments were made.

The figures, released to Fine Gael TD Leo Varadkar yesterday, outlined details of appointments made between January 14th and 25th.

They showed Taoiseach Brian Cowen appointed 25 people to the National Economic and Social Council (NESC), seven for the first time. In his capacity as Minister for Foreign Affairs the Taoiseach is also likely to make 10 appointments to the Emigrant Services Advisory Committee shortly.

Minister for Agriculture Brendan Smith made four appointments to the Bookmakers’ Appeals Committee.

Mary Hanafin, under her enterprise portfolio, made two appointments to Forfás and three to the National Competitiveness Council.

Former minister for transport Noel Dempsey appointed a new member to the board of the National Transport Authority.

In her capacity as Minister for Culture, Ms Hanafin made six appointments to the National Museum of Ireland, five of which were new.

Minister for Education Mary Coughlan made four appointments to institutes of technology in Kerry and Mayo.

As Minister for Health, Ms Coughlan made two appointments: one to the board of the Medical Council; and one to the board of the National Treatment Purchase Fund.

Minister of State for Disability John Moloney appointed one person to the National Disability Authority.

In response to questions from Mr Varadkar, the Taoiseach said appointments were made on the basis of nominations received from social partner organisations or from relevant departments.

The appointees receive no remuneration for membership of the NESC, he said.

Mark Fielding, chief executive of the Irish Small and Medium Enterprises association (Isme), said the “unseemly rush by the outgoing Government to appoint the friends of the party, hangers-on and lackeys to positions on influential state boards” was a disgrace.

“It does the country a disservice and maintains bad decision- making and inefficiencies,” he said.

The appointments should be based on merit and be open to those with suitable qualifications and appropriate experience in all areas, he said.

He called for the establishment of an independent appointments commission made up of independent experts appointed by an all-party Oireachtas committee.

STATE BOARDS: GOVERNMENT APPOINTMENTS

National Economic and Social Council: David Begg, Sally Anne Kinahan, Peter McLoone, Manus O'Riordan, Edmond Connolly, Pat Smith, Séamus O'Donohoe, Frank Allen, Fr Seán Healy, Caroline Fahey, James Dorley, Bríd O'Brien, Danny McCoy, Tom Parlon, Ian Talbot, Tony Donohue, Oisín Coghlan, Karin Dubsky, Siobhán Egan, Michael Ewing, Dermot McCarthy, Kevin Cardiff, Seán Gorman, Brigid McManus, Geraldine Tallon

Bookmakers' Appeals Committee: Liam Carroll, Leo McAuley, Michael McCarthy, Colm Quirke

Forfás:Eoin O'Driscoll, Dr Don Thornhill

National Competitiveness Council: Declan Purcell, Harry Lorton, Michael Delaney

National Transport Authority: Daithí Alcorn

Institutes of Technology: Ann O'Dwyer (Tralee), Tim O'Donoghue (Tralee), Rachel Sillery (Galway-Mayo), Fergal Lynam (Athlone)

National Museum of Ireland:Prof Dervilla MX Donnelly, Prof Peter Woodman, Dr Chris Nicholas, Prof Gearóid Ó Tuathaigh, Máirín de Brún, Mary Crotty

Medical Council:Dr John McAdoo

National Treatment Purchase Fund: Joan Ryan

National Disability Authority:James O'Grady