Public Appointments
Introduction
The Department is responsible for the appointment of commissioners and board members to the Boards of the Trust Ports of Belfast, Londonderry and Warrenpoint and the Northern Ireland Transport Holding Company (NITHC). Advertisements for all the available public appointments appear widely in the local press when each competition commences but are also held on the six monthly list published by the Office of First Minister and Deputy First Minister Central Appointments Unit. Details are also held on the Units website Central Appointments Unit
. Appointments to the Boards of the main trust ports are monitored by the Office of the Commissioner for Public Appointments (OCPA).
Back To Top Northern Ireland Trust Ports
The Department appoints members to the Boards of the three main trust ports of Belfast, Londonderry and Warrenpoint. The Commissioners or Authority members are appointed following a public competition and serve for a defined period, normally three years or four years.
Appointments
The Board of Belfast Harbour Commissioners consists of 15 members, including the Chief Executive who is appointed to the Board by virtue of his position (ex-officio) and 4 councillors from Belfast City Council. The current Board of Belfast Harbour Commissioners was appointed on 1 January 2008 for a four year period.
The current Board of Londonderry Port and Harbour Commissioners was appointed on 8 February 2007 and has a membership of 9, which includes the Chief Executive (ex-officio) and 3 councillors from Derry City Council. The Board will serve for a four-year period.
The Chairman of Londonderry Port and Harbour Commissioners, Garvan O'Doherty, has been reappointed for a four year period effective from 8 February 2010.
New appointments are to be made to the board of Warrenpoint Harbour Authority with effect from 1 April 2010. The date for receipt of applications has now passed An announcement will be made late March 2010 advising of the result of the appointment process.
The current Board of Warrenpoint Harbour Authority was appointed on 1 October 2007 for three years and has 11 members, which includes the Chief Executive (ex-officio), the Financial Director (ex-officio) and 3 councillors from Newry and Mourne District Council. Three re-appointments to the Board were made on 1 October 2008 for a four year period
The Department also exercises an appointments function for Civil Servants to act as Donaghadee Harbour Commissioners. Coleraine Harbour Board is appointed by Coleraine Borough Council.
Northern Ireland Transport Holding Company (NITHC)
NITHC is the parent company of the publicly owned bus and rail companies in Northern Ireland (Northern Ireland Railways, Metro and Ulsterbus, all operating under the brand name of Translink. The Department has responsibility for appointing the Chairman and non-executive Directors to the Board of NITHC, for a three year period. The NITHC Board has a membership comprising a Chairman and eight other Directors, six of whom are non-executive Directors, appointed by the DRD under the Transport Act (NI) 1967. The current baord was appointed for a three years with from 1 July 2008
