Irish News

10/03/2010 : 15:09:01 Call for a Commission for State Boards

Ireland needs a Commission for Public Sector Board Appointments such as that which operates in the UK, says the Corporate Governance Association of Ireland (CGAI).

The aim of this Commission would be to ensure that appointments to state bodies are based on merit and follow a fair, open and transparent process.

The CGAI also says that the Code of Practice for the Governance of State Bodies must be updated to include specific principles on which appointments are made.

Jerry Kelly, CGAI chairman says, "The CGAI welcomes the clear improvements in the public sector appointment process as evidenced by recent open advertisements for appointments to the Boards of NAMA, RTE, The Broadcasting Authority of Ireland and FAS.

"However, the CGAI believes that much more needs to be done to develop a clear, transparent and consistent process for state board appointments which will ensure that there is greater diversity of talent on boards".

He went on to say that the CGAI acknowledges the importance of core expertise in the boardroom but emphasises that diversity can bring major benefits in terms of problem solving, avoidance of group think and an overall improvement in governance. The CGAI says that a Commission, based on the UK model, could build on the processes currently operated by the existing Public Appointments Service (PAS) for executive appointments. The PAS already manages a clear and transparent process for the recruitment of executives for the public sector. "It is essential that candidates of appropriate stature both in terms of business acumen and personal integrity are appointed to state boards and a well defined selection process should be an intrinsic element of this process," says Jerry Kelly.

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