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SCIENCE FOUNDATION IRELAND ANNUAL REPORT 2015
Board Committees
Corporate Governance Committee
The key role for this Committee was to review Science Foundation Ireland’ s corporate governance structure and core governance documents; the Committee also undertook responsibility for setting objectives for improving Board and Committee effectiveness and to review codes of ethics for executives, employees and Board members. The key objective of the Committee was to ensure that Science Foundation Ireland governance structures and procedures could achieve certification through external SWIFT 3000 assessment. Science Foundation Ireland was awarded this certification in June 2015.
The Corporate Governance Committee was formally dissolved on 14 December 2015 with its responsibilities moved into the Audit & Risk Committee.
Number of meetings: 0 Chair: Aidan Donnelly Membership: Ann Riordan and Mary Doyle
Audit & Risk Committee
The Audit & Risk Committee monitors the system of internal controls and financial safeguards, oversees the internal audit function and the conduct of audits of Science Foundation Ireland grants made to external institutions. The Committee ensures a system to monitor risk and provide for mitigating actions is in place and kept up-to-date. The Committee also monitors and reviews Science Foundation Ireland financial reports on a regular basis including the Annual Financial Statements. From 2016, the Committee is also responsible to oversee compliance with corporate governance requirements, including with the Code of Conduct for the Governance for State Bodies as may be amended or revised.
Number of meetings: Six Chair: Bernie Cullinan, Membership: Geraldine Ruane, Aidan Donnelly, Marcus Breathnach
Audit & Risk Committee 2015 Marcus Breathnach * 3 out of 3 Bernie Cullinan 6 out of 6 Brian Dalton ** 3 out of 3 Aidan Donnelly * 2 out of 2 Pat Duane ** 4 out of 4 Geraldine Ruane 6 out of 6
* Aidan Donnelly and Marcus Breathnach were appointed to the committee.
** Brian Dalton and Pat Duane retired from the committee in September 2015.
Board Nominations Advisory Committee
This Committee formerly was called the Management Development & Board Nominations Advisory Committee. In September 2015, the responsibilities of this Committee were divided between two separate Committees, the Board Nominations Advisory Committee and the Management Development & Remuneration Committee. The Board Nominations Advisory Committee considers the skill sets required on the Science Foundation Ireland Board as well as relevant areas of expertise and advises the Minister of Enterprise, Jobs and Innovation accordingly when Board vacancies arise.
Number of meetings: 2 Chair: Ann Riordan Membership: Ann Riordan, Mark Ferguson, Dermot Mulligan, Dermot Curran
Nominations Advisory Committee 2015 Dermot Curran * 1 out of 1 Mark Ferguson 2 out of 2 Dermot Mulligan ** 1 out of 1 Ann Riordan 2 out of 2
* Dermot Curran retired from the Management Development & Board Nominations Advisory Committee in April 2015.
** Dermot Mulligan was appointed to the Board Nominations Advisory Committee in September 2015.