No pay for State board members under new legislation

Payments for serving as a member of a State board or public body will end if a Bill introduced in the Seanad yesterday is accepted.

The proposed legislation also provides that board members will have to declare their expenses to the ethics-in-politics body, the Standards in Public Office Commission.

The legislation follows lengthy controversy surrounding the salaries and expenses to board members of State bodies, including charities which receive funding from the State.

The Bill aims to improve transparency on public bodies funded by the State. In addition, all expenses will have to be vouched.

The Government is expected to support the Bill introduced by Independent Senator Feargal Quinn.

Mr Quinn said his legislation, the Public Service Management (Transparency of Boards) Bill, aims “to ensure that members of public bodies must have their expenses and other related matters declared” to the Standards in Public Office Commission.

He told the House he believed his Private Member’s Bill was “worthy of consideration”.

The legislation also requires that anyone appointed to a State board will be required to file a declaration with the commission.

And all declarations to the Standards in Public Office Commission have to be publicly available on the ethics body’s website and on the site of the relevant State body.

If accepted the legislation will be enacted and implemented on January 1st, and will also involve a slight amendment to the Standards in Public Office Act 2001.

Members of State boards can only claim expenses if they have first filed a declaration of interests with the political ethics body.