The Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sports and Media, Catherine Martin T.D and the Minister of State for the Gaeltacht, Patrick O'Donovan T.D., today announced that the Údarás na Gaeltachta Interim Board has been appointed. As a result of this, seven members of the twelve members who will ultimately be on the board have been appointed - which means that there is a quorum and the board is able to function accordingly.
The rest of the board will be appointed when the public competition - administered by PAS (Public Appointments Service) - has been completed. Under that competition which is now live until 02/03/23, the public has the opportunity to be included for the purpose of appointment on the board and the related arrangements have been completed. More details are available here.
The following are the members appointed subject to the Act, with immediate effect until the end of 2024:
Anthony Molloy Donegal County Council nomination
Pádraic Ó Conaire Mayo County Council nomination
Pádraig Mac an Iomaire Galway County Council nomination
Breandán Mac Gearailt Kerry County Council nomination
Joe Conway Waterford County Council nomination*
Mary Uí Chadhain and Debra Ní Shúilleabháin have been re-appointed to the Board and Mary Uí Chadhain will be acting as its temporary chairperson until the results of the public competition are in hand.
Minister Martin, said:
"I understand that the work done by Údarás na Gaeltachta Board and Executive is particularly important. As a result of this approach to the appointment of an interim board there will be no restriction on the organisation continuing to implement its agenda. With the public competition now open, I would like to take the opportunity to encourage women to seek nominations to be appointed on state boards in general, but on the board of Údarás na Gaeltachta in particular."
Minister of State O’Donovan, said:
"The appointment of the first part of the Údarás Board is a huge step forward. I recently met with Údarás executives and got a good insight into the work of the organisation. I understand the importance of a board so that any organisation such as Údarás na Gaeltachta is able to function on a continuous basis. I am therefore happy that the first part of the Board has been appointed and that it will not be long before it will be possible to finalise the arrangements after the public competition under the umbrella of PAS is completed at the beginning of next month."
ENDS
Note for the Editor
Arising from the Government's decision on 13 December 2022 the board will have a period of up to two years so that there will be the appropriate opportunity to amend the current legislation under which the Údarás Board is appointed. In accordance with the Government's decision, the Department has sent the headings of the Bill to Coiste na Gaeilge, na Gaeltachta agus Phobal Labhartha na Gaeilge for pre-legislative scrutiny. As part of that examination, the committee has been asked to look at measures to achieve an appropriate gender balance in the selection and election process that will relate to the appointment of the Board in accordance with the Government's policy on gender balance on State Boards.
A copy of the press statement issued on 14 December about the legislative amendment is available here
* Under the current arrangement, in the case of members nominated in respect of the smallest Gaeltacht areas namely: Meath, Waterford and Cork County Councils, those members have a two-year term on a rota basis between them in the order: Meath, Cork and Waterford in accordance with Section 16 2a(vi) of the Act. The period of application of Waterford County Council's nomination will commence on 1 March 2023; Gobnait Ní Monaghan is the nomination of Cork County Council who will be a member until then.