nav[aria-label="Primary Navigation"] { padding: 0; & ul { list-style: none; width: 100%; display: flex; flex-direction: row; justify-content: start; align-items: start; gap: 30px; padding: 0; & li { margin: 0; } & ul li { list-style: none; } } }

Child Item

Oireachtas elect four new members to BAI and RTÉ Boards

Elmo

http://www.rte.ie/news/2014/1002/649586-rte/

The new members of the RTÉ Board are: Padraig O'Ceidigh, Founder of Aer Arann, Margaret E Ward, financial journalist and entrepreneur, Shane Naughton, Chief Financial Officer with the Economist Group and Fionnuala Sheehan, Founder of the social marketing programme drinkaware.ie.

The four appointments to the BAI will be: Clare Duignan, former Managing Director of RTÉ Radio, Dr Rosemary Day of the Department of Media at Mary Immaculate College in Limerick, Professor Maeve McDonagh of the Faculty of Law at University College Cork and Denis Wolinski, former head of the Independent Television Commission in Northern Ireland.

Find more posts tagged with

Quick Links

Comments

expectationlost

Minister White nominates BAI Chair and Board Members http://www.dcenr.gov.ie/Press+Releases/2014/Minister+White+nominates+BAI+Chair+and+Board+Members.htm

On the Minister’s nomination, Pauric Travers was appointed as Chairperson for a period of 3 years. He will serve alongside three newly appointed Ministerial nominees; Alan McDonnell, Claire Duignan, and Grace Smith, each with a 5 year term of office. Michelle McShortall has been reappointed for a period of 3 years.

Four existing board members, nominated by the Joint Oireachtas Committee, remain in place until their terms expire in February 2015.

expectationlost

"Moya Doherty was a director of Tyrone Productions" http://www.dcenr.gov.ie/Press+Releases/2014/Minister+White+nominates+RT%C3%89+Chair+and+Board+Members.htm

so she must have quit in the last week then?

The Cush

New RTÉ Board appointed today - http://www.dcenr.gov.ie/Press+Releases/2014/Minister+White+nominates+RT%c3%89+Chair+and+Board+Members.htm

Of the seven new appointees three, including the Chairperson, will serve 3 year terms, the others including the staff representative will serve the full 5 year term. To ensure board continuity when terms expire I assume.

Moya Doherty 3/11/2017
Fergus Armstrong 3/11/2017
Deborah Kelleher 3/11/2017

Frank Hannigan 3/11/2019
P.J. Mathews 3/11/2019
Anne O’Leary 3/11/2019

Aengus Mac Grianna 3/11/2019

expectationlost

statement by Minister Alex White on forthcoming appointments to the boards of State Bodies
17 October 2014 http://www.dcenr.gov.ie/Press+Releases/2014/Statement+by+Minister+Alex+White+on+forthcoming+appointments+to+the+boards+of+State+Bodies.htm

expectationlost

Elmo wrote: »

Months over the summer???? How is that?

I don't think their is cronyism on this, I just feel that they nominees should address the committee in public so we know what they are about and how they will serve the public.

im not 100% convinced this won't happen before February, or atleast I inspect it may now happen. The Oireachtas Committee havn't yet put out an official statement on who they are proposing.

the key difference Column Kenny points to then is that in 2009 they interviewed 20 people "competitive interviews" http://www.independent.ie/opinion/columnists/colum-kenny/government-set-to-revert-to-habit-on-rte-and-bai-30710541.html and in 2014 committee only spoke to the 8 they'd chosen.

it seems they had the assistance of the PAS in conducting the interviews in 2009 http://www.oireachtas.ie/parliament/mediazone/pressreleases/2009/name-1387-en.html

expectationlost

Elmo wrote: »

Yes from the nomination point of view, the minister could have easily decided against those nominations, that's really why a number of different nominations should be sent to the minister so that he can make a choice on a advice received.

http://www.irishstatutebook.ie/2009/en/act/pub/0018/sec0081.html#sec81

I think were having slighlty different thought trains on this

the only way I can interpret your post is that you think the biggest problem in the process is that the minister is not dismissing enough people proposed by the committee, in that he simply accepting those proposed by the committee without more thought and consideration and choice.

Elmo

expectationlost wrote: »

https://www.kildarestreet.com/sendebates/?id=2014-10-02a.7 Thursday, 2 October 2014

so the interviews were on the 1st of October

Months over the summer???? How is that?

I don't think their is cronyism on this, I just feel that they nominees should address the committee in public so we know what they are about and how they will serve the public.

expectationlost

https://www.kildarestreet.com/sendebates/?id=2014-10-02a.7 Thursday, 2 October 2014

Paschal Mooney (Fianna Fail) As a member of the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Transport and Communications I went through a process this summer, with my committee colleagues, of sifting through 140 curricula vitaesent in by members of the public, in response to an advertisement from the committee. This was to recommend four members for the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland and four members for the RTE Authority to the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources, Deputy Alex White. We interviewed all eight candidates yesterday, which was an exercise in democracy at its purest. All parties and none applauded it.
I know that Senator Brennan, who is on the committee, will agree that while the process was very difficult and burdensome because of the time it consumed over the summer, we came up with four people for each board of whom we can feel very proud. They have come through a very pure democratic process. I have no idea what, if any, their political affiliations are, and Senator Brennan would say the same. They are recommended on merit. I welcome that process.

Terry Brennan (Fine Gael) Cronyism, favouritism and jobs for the boys and ladies has been a topical issue in both Houses for the past week or so. I note that like my colleague on the opposite side of the House, Senator Mooney, I took part in a working group in which we examined 129 applications for appointments to the RTE Authority and to the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland. It involved 129 highly qualified people and that working group had the difficult task of reducing the number down to eight, that is, four to RTE and four to the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland. As Senator Mooney noted, we have been taking part in this exercise for the past two months or more. Yesterday, we interviewed those whom we had chosen from their curricula vitae and I feel honoured to have been part of this working group, which chose eight highly qualified people, men and women, who will be a major asset. My point is this is the manner in which appointments to all State boards should take place. There was no cronyism, no one approached me on behalf of anyone, there was no favouritism or anything but we had a consensus and chose eight great people. As Senator Mooney also stated, no one knew what politics they had. They were not jobs for the boys and this is the way it should be.

so the interviews were on the 1st of October

expectationlost

Joint Committee on Transport and Communications|Party|Type|commsubcommittee|workinggroup
John O’Mahony (Chairman)|Fine Gael|Chair|yes|yes
Paudie Coffey (Vice Chairman)|Fine Gael|MOS in July|yes|
Michael Colreavy|Sinn Féin|TD|yes|yes
Timmy Dooley|Fianna Fáil|TD|yes|yes
Dessie Ellis|Sinn Féin|TD||
Anne Ferris|Labour|TD||
Tom Fleming|Independent|TD||
Brendan Griffin|Fine Gael|TD|yes|
Noel Harrington|Fine Gael|TD|yes|
Seán Kenny|Labour|TD|yes|
Eamonn Maloney|Labour|TD|yes|
Helen McEntee|Fine Gael|TD||yes
Michael Moynihan|Fianna Fáil|TD|yes|
Patrick O’Donovan|Fine Gael|TD||
Mick Wallace|Independent|TD|yes|
Terry Brennan|Fine Gael|Senators||yes
Sean D. Barrett|Independent|Senators||
Eamonn Coghlan|Fine Gael|Senators||
Paschal Mooney|Fianna Fáil|Senators||yes
Ned O’Sullivan|Fianna Fáil|Senators||
John Whelan|Labour|Senators

http://www.oireachtas.ie/parliament/oireachtasbusiness/committees_list/transportandcommunications/members/
working group according to The Phoenix

Elmo

expectationlost wrote: »

here is where the people involved were invited in to make presentations to the communicatiosn committee, 16 December 2009 http://oireachtasdebates.oireachtas.ie/debates%20authoring/debateswebpack.nsf/committeetakes/MAJ2009121600003#N2 but they'd pretty much picked them at the point already, unless the person spectacularly failed at the committee, there were through.

Yes from the nomination point of view, the minister could have easily decided against those nominations, that's really why a number of different nominations should be sent to the minister so that he can make a choice on a advice received.

http://www.irishstatutebook.ie/2009/en/act/pub/0018/sec0081.html#sec81

expectationlost

here is where the people involved were invited in to make presentations to the communications committee, 16 December 2009 http://oireachtasdebates.oireachtas.ie/debates%20authoring/debateswebpack.nsf/committeetakes/MAJ2009121600003#N2 but they'd pretty much picked them at the point already, unless the person spectacularly failed at the committee, there were through.

Following receipt of applications we compiled a shortlist. We had 269 applications, 139 for the RTÉ board and 130 for the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland. The shortlist comprised 44 people. Following preliminary discussions with the shortlisted candidates, 20 people were called for formal interview. The interview board was made up of four members of the joint committee, Deputies Simon Coveney and Liz McManus, Senator Joe O’Toole and myself. The interviews were facilitated by the Public Appointments Service, who also gave us invaluable advice and assistance throughout the process, for which we are very grateful. The interviewing panel took two days to interview the shortlisted candidates.

The interview board has recommended eight people to the joint committee, four for each board. The purpose of today’s meeting is to give committee members a forum to question the eight candidates in order to confirm that they have the required skills and experience to serve on these important authorities, and also to afford the candidates an opportunity to address the full joint committee.

to quote again from Column Kenny's column http://www.independent.ie/opinion/columnists/colum-kenny/government-set-to-revert-to-habit-on-rte-and-bai-30710541.html

Five years ago, when the Oireachtas committee filled some seats on the RTE board and the BAI by open competition, the process included interviews conducted under the auspices of the Public Appointments Service and a public hearing in the Oireachtas. This time around the Oireachtas committee dispensed with competitive interviews and made the final selection on paper before calling its chosen eight to a confirmation session behind closed doors.

expectationlost

im not sure in what way the Public Appointments Service was involved in 2009

did they just do the admin?

http://www.oireachtas.ie/documents/committees30thdail/j-communicationsenr/reports/document3.doc
Joint Committee on Communications, Energy and Natural Resources
ANNUAL REPORT 2007 -2009
February 2010

9. Nominations to State Bodies

The Joint Committee, under the terms of the Broadcasting Act 2009, recommended the names of 8 individuals to the Minister, 4 for nomination to the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland and 4 for nomination to the Board of RTÉ.

The Joint Committee was aware from the outset that this process, in addition to being a new responsibility for the Committee, was an innovation in the way members of such bodies are selected for nomination. The Committee undertook to design a process which would ensure that the selection process would be transparent and open; accessible to anyone meeting the required criteria, and that it would enable the Committee to select the best candidates for the role, based on merit, while being subject to compliance with the legislation and best practise in appointments procedure.

It is envisaged that this procedure may become an ongoing feature of the work of the Joint Committee.

expectationlost

The Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources Alex White TD when asked about Appointments to State Boards and the assistances of the Public Appointment Service in doing so.
https://www.kildarestreet.com/wrans/?id=2014-10-02a.596&s=speaker:348#g597.q

In accordance with the Government Decision of 12 April 2011, my predecessor commenced a process of seeking, on the Department’s website, expressions of Interest from persons wishing to be considered for appointment to vacancies on State Boards under the aegis of this Department. This information has been used to inform decisions for such appointments, but I would stress that such invitations are designed to extend the range of suitable persons from which a Minister might make appointments, not to constrain it.

Elmo

Totally understand that the Minister could always choose not to except the Committee's choices, I think in this situation the minister should return the nominations and ask that the committee take all applications to the PAS and then on to interviews with the committee. If the nominees are upstanding they should consider their nominations, step aside and ask that applications are sent to the PAS before being called to interview with the committee in public. What the Broadcasting Act 2009 does is to allow for an more open and transparent application process, unfortunately it doesn't go further by stating that all nominees must go through this process.

IMO The minister should be given at least 20 nominees for each board to choose from otherwise he is just signing off and has no function. With this process he could send back a nomination to the committee which to me looks bad.

expectationlost

Elmo wrote: »

Colum Kenny has a good point in the Irish Independent on this

http://www.independent.ie/opinion/columnists/colum-kenny/government-set-to-revert-to-habit-on-rte-and-bai-30710541.html

Really could have been the shinning light in Gov policy on appointments with so many badly handled appointments to show that this system could work.

well firstly i think you should atleast expect them to do what they said they would. Im not sure from the article whether they have not or have, they did get the committee to advertise and propose 4 members for each board, and minister can pick four which is what is regulated for, but Column Kenny suggests they are not doing open call aspect as well as they did it the previous time?

http://www.irishstatutebook.ie/2009/en/act/pub/0018/sec0081.html#sec81 is the communications dept not in better place then most depts in that atleast they get to propose 4 x 2 board members, although the minister only has to 'have regard' to their choices.

Five years ago, when the Oireachtas committee filled some seats on the RTE board and the BAI by open competition, the process included interviews conducted under the auspices of the Public Appointments Service and a public hearing in the Oireachtas. This time around the Oireachtas committee dispensed with competitive interviews and made the final selection on paper before calling its chosen eight to a confirmation session behind closed doors.

my thought above was they have seemed to have picked their choice very quickly after the end of the open call.

when were those interviews I wonder. ETA 1st of October https://www.kildarestreet.com/sendebates/?id=2014-10-02a.7

links related to 2009 process http://www.oireachtas.ie/parliament/mediazone/pressreleases/2009/name-1387-en.html 16 December 09 announcement of choice

foi request on applicants to the boards in 2009 http://www.dcenr.gov.ie/NR/rdonlyres/FE54A264-9631-4E00-BC11-5068001EE6EE/0/FOI201015RequestandReply1.pdf its note the Public Appointmnet Service involvement, but its hard to figure out the timeline for everything. the minister seems to have sent his list of nominess for the committee to review (not just the chairman).

the FOI officer presumed the solicitor making the request (on behalf of whom we don't know) was looking for public applicants not those that may have applied directly to the minister so the solicitor sent a second request http://www.dcenr.gov.ie/NR/rdonlyres/48522DA5-BA8C-4AC6-B25C-462F2C3B4942/0/FOI201034RequestandReply.pdf

all he got were appointment letters from further back

find annual report 2009 of comms committee http://www.oireachtas.ie/documents/committees30thdail/j-communicationsenr/reports/document3.doc

Elmo

Colum Kenny has a good point in the Irish Independent on this

http://www.independent.ie/opinion/columnists/colum-kenny/government-set-to-revert-to-habit-on-rte-and-bai-30710541.html

Really could have been the shinning light in Gov policy on appointments with so many badly handled appointments to show that this system could work.

expectationlost

and the names came out on the 2nd of october http://www.irishtimes.com/business/sectors/media-and-marketing/new-appointments-to-rt%C3%A9-board-and-bai-1.1949975

Fionnula Sheehan resigned from MEAS/drinkaware on the 30th of September http://www.drinksindustryireland.ie/fionnuala-sheehan-to-step-dow

bit confused

Sep 11, 2014, 01:45 This summer the Oireachtas Committee on Transport and Communications called for “expressions of interest” from members of the public interested in serving on the board of RTÉ or the BAI and received 65 applications. It’s a healthy enough number, especially as the sign-up is for a five-year term – long in modern board practice where three years is increasingly the norm and not just because it increases the chances of attracting high candidates who are not willing to serve for half a decade.
However, enthusiastic applicants who posted in their CVs during the summer and are dusting off their best suit in the hope of attending a board meeting in RTÉ in late September (the Minister promises to appoint a new board by then), or in the BAI in October, can relax – they won’t be needed until the new year.

And yes, it is confusing. It’s the Minister’s nominations that are required urgently. The few board members that remain now on both the BAI and the RTÉ boards (the station’s director general, Noel Curran, is an ex-officio appointment) were appointed by the Oireachtas committee and their term of office runs until February 2015. It is to replace these people that the expressions of interest were sought. Although the Minister signs off on them too; so in practice they are also his appointments.

While these committee appointments are not quite as pressing as those governance-challenging empty seats around the RTÉ boardroom table right now, time is ticking.
Once the committee has sifted through the applications, it has three months to advise the Minister of preferred candidates. The call for applicants said expressions were needed “in the event of the committee being invited to make such nominations”. When it comes down to it, it’s difficult to imagine the Minister not asking the committee, especially since the public has been encouraged to get involved.

http://www.irishtimes.com/business/sectors/media-and-marketing/empty-chairs-around-another-boardroom-table-1.1923995#.VCwvNnRgFtA.twitter

so those picked two weeks ago arn't starting till february and the minister still hasn't picked his choices

Elmo

expectationlost wrote: »

expression of interests called for on 17th of july anyone know what the end date of call was ? http://www.oireachtas.ie/parliament/mediazone/pressreleases/name-23616-en.html

End of Sept/Start of Oct AFAIR.

expectationlost

expression of interests called for on 17th of july anyone know what the end date of the call was ? http://www.oireachtas.ie/parliament/mediazone/pressreleases/name-23616-en.html

another article and pdf of the ad no deadlin included.
http://www.thejournal.ie/rte-board-members-1577771-Jul2014/

expectationlost

Government set to revert to habit on RTE and BAI http://www.independent.ie/opinion/columnists/colum-kenny/government-set-to-revert-to-habit-on-rte-and-bai-30710541.html

Five years ago, when the Oireachtas committee filled some seats on the RTE board and the BAI by open competition, the process included interviews conducted under the auspices of the Public Appointments Service and a public hearing in the Oireachtas. This time around the Oireachtas committee dispensed with competitive interviews and made the final selection on paper before calling its chosen eight to a confirmation session behind closed doors. Professor Colum Kenny of DCU was appointed to the BAI in 2010, under the first public competition process

regressing?

list of dept comms + engs board members, not up to date
http://www.egovernance.ie/Boards/default.aspx

Elmo

The Cush wrote: »

From the Sunday Times today

So there is no conflict of interest when her husband is today fm chair?

The Cush

From the Sunday Times today

MOYA DOHERTY, the co-creator of Riverdance, is to be chair of the RTE Board. It is understood communications minister Alex White, who made the selection, will announce the appointment in the coming days.

...

Doherty, 56, one of Ireland’s wealthiest women, is married to Riverdance co-creator John McColgan, chairman of Today FM, the national radio station owned by Denis O’Brien.

Moya Doherty

@doherty_moya

Donegal-born Moya Doherty is co-founder and producer of Riverdance with her husband, John McColgan. Moya is a director of Tyrone Productions, a founding director of radio station Today FM and a member of the Dublin Theatre Festival board, encouraging and promoting theatre in Ireland.

http://www.independent.ie/business/irish/why-you-should-follow-the-top-20-tweeting-businesswomen-30674497.html

The Cush

Radio 1's This Week programme discussion with the Chairperson of the Oireachtas Communications Committee regarding the RTÉ and BAI Board appointments.

Concerns over the nomination process to the BAI and the RTÉ Board - http://podcast.rasset.ie/podcasts/audio/2014/1012/20141012_rteradio1-thisweek-concernsov_c20663234_20663247_232_.mp3

Elmo

Cork_chick_94 wrote: »

What kind of power do the board of RTE have ? Was it them that decided to close down 252 lw for example ?

They should question the decision and at the very least informed, I suspect the they signed of on the decision ..... However it came when RTÉ are without a board for over a month!

Cork_chick_94

What kind of power do the board of RTE have ? Was it them that decided to close down 252 lw for example ?

The Cush

Elmo wrote: »

Interesting to read that RTÉ is in a critical stage and yet the minister has left the company without a board for the last month!

Similar happened 5 yrs ago, just before the Broadcasting Act 2009 became law.

The old RTÉ Authority's term of office expired at the end of Dec 2008 but an interim Authority wasn't appointed until the end of Feb 2009 with a term of 7 months, until the Act was in place, a new RTÉ Board was appointed from the end of Aug 2009. The full Board wasn't in place until the Oireachtas nominees took their seats the following Feburary.

How will the new revised procedures for appointing people to state boards affect/delay the new BAI and RTÉ boards?

http://www.merrionstreet.ie/index.php/2014/09/howlin-announces-revised-model-for-ministerial-appointments-to-state-boards-2/?cat=3
http://www.merrionstreet.ie/index.php/2014/09/howlin-announces-revised-model-for-ministerial-appointments-to-state-boards/

Elmo

Interesting to read that RTÉ is in a critical stage and yet the minister has left the company without a board for the last month!

The Cush

In a statement, Minister White said he had not yet reviewed the nominations made for the RTÉ board by the committee.

"These nominations are for vacancies that are due to arise in February 2015, and appointments to fill these vacancies will be made in due course," he added.

http://www.rte.ie/news/2014/1002/649586-rte/

Based on the above quote I've corrected my two lists above

RTÉ Board members
Chair vacant (since end August, Ministerial appointment)

- ex officio
Noel Curran - Director General, RTÉ

- 5yr term 2014 - 2019
Aengus Mac Grianna - Staff Member
6 vacancies (since end August, Ministerial appointments)

- Oireachtas Communications Committee nominees 2009, terminating Feb 2015
Patricia Quinn
Aileen O’Meara
Eunice O’Raw
Stuart Switzer

- Oireachtas Communications Committee nominees 2014, term Feb 2015 - 2019
Margaret E Ward - financial journalist and founder of Women on Air
Shane Naughton - chief financial officer, the Economist Group
Pádraig O’Ceidigh - Aer Arann founder
Fionnuala Sheehan - chief executive, Mature Enjoyment of Alcohol

BAI Board
Chair vacant (since end September, Ministerial appointment)

- 5yr term 2014 - 2019
5 vacancies (since end September, Ministerial appointments)

- Oireachtas Communications Committee nominees 2009, terminating Feb 2015
Larry Bass
Siobhán Ní Ghadhra
Michael Moriarty
Professor Colum Kenny

- Oireachtas Communications Committee nominees 2014, term Feb 2015 - 2019
Clare Duignan - former Managing Director of RTÉ Radio
Dr Rosemary Day - Department of Media at Mary Immaculate College, Limerick
Professor Maeve McDonagh - Faculty of Law at University College Cork
Denis Wolinski - former head ITC/Ofcom in Northern Ireland

http://www.irishtimes.com/business/sectors/media-and-marketing/empty-chairs-around-another-boardroom-table-1.1923995
http://www.irishtimes.com/business/sectors/media-and-marketing/new-appointments-to-rt%C3%A9-board-and-bai-1.1949975

From Alex White's Dept brief when he was appointed Minister

Appoint new Chairperson and board members in RTE (7 + Chair) – existing board due to terminate at end August. The Company is entering a critically important phase of commercial development. 

Appoint new Chairperson and board members in BAI (5 + Chair) - existing members due to terminate at end September – the regulatory appointments are of importance to the sector and should, ideally, be made in advance of any bringing forward by the Minister of proposals for amending legislation in the broadcasting sector.

http://www.dcenr.gov.ie/NR/rdonlyres/D80A9AC9-BC80-4E9C-AA72-BF3D8392A383/0/MinisterialBriefforDCENRWebsite.pdf

Communications Committee invited expressions of interest in nominations to RTÉ and BAI boards (17th July 2014) - http://www.oireachtas.ie/parliament/mediazone/pressreleases/name-23616-en.html
RTE is looking for members of the public to join its board - http://www.thejournal.ie/rte-board-members-1577771-Jul2014/

The Cush

The Cush wrote: »

(5yr term 2014 - 2019)
Aengus Mac Grianna - Staff Member
Margaret E Ward - financial journalist and founder of Women on Air
Shane Naughton - chief financial officer, the Economist Group
Pádraig O’Ceidigh - Aer Arann founder
Fionnuala Sheehan - chief executive, Mature Enjoyment of Alcohol

Minister urged not to accept nomination of Meas boss to RTÉ board - Irish Times
Minister urged not to endorse MEAS chief's nomination to RTÉ board - RTÉ

The Cush

BAI Board
Chair vacant

(5yr term 2014 - 2019)
Clare Duignan - former Managing Director of RTÉ Radio
Dr Rosemary Day - Department of Media at Mary Immaculate College, Limerick
Professor Maeve McDonagh - Faculty of Law at University College Cork
Denis Wolinski - former head ITC/Ofcom in Northern Ireland
1 vacancy

(expiring Feb 2015)
Larry Bass
Siobhán Ní Ghadhra
Michael Moriarty
Professor Colum Kenny