In 2011 the Government introduced new arrangements for appointments to State boards, whereby expressions of interest would be sought when a vacancy arose.

The new system applies to all such boards, both commercial and non-commercial. It does not apply to those of cross-Border bodies established under the Belfast Agreement.

The vacancies were to be advertised on the relevant department’s website or by the Public Appointments Service (Pas); stateboards.ie was set up by the service to assist in the selection procedures and appointments are advertised on the site.

Further reforms were announced in September 2014.

Applications are welcome from people who believe they have the relevant skills and experience to join a State board, barring any disqualifications that may apply under the law.

Under the guidelines published by the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform thereare are a number of "typical competencies" that may be deemed relevant to a position on a State board.

These include an ability “to take a broad future focused perspective on issues” and an ability to understand and anticipate the effect of environmental and economic issues on an organisation.

Candidates should have a “strong sense of ethics and integrity” and “a good understanding of what may constitute or be seen as a conflict of interests”.

They should also have “an appreciation of the State and the public as key stakeholders” and “an understanding of good governance practices”.

Financial literacy and an ability to understand “high-level financial data” and an appreciation of budgets are also listed as requirements.

Arrangements

There are a number of exceptions to the arrangements. Guidelines published by the department specifically state that it will be open for a minister to make an appointment to a board where she or he has “independently identified a person who is evidently and objectively highly-qualified and capable of effectively discharging the role of chair of a State board and who has not otherwise applied through the stateboards.ie process”.

A spokesman for Tánaiste Joan Burton flagged this exception.

“Mr Begg brings wide-ranging public sector, business and economic experience to the role. His demonstrated ability to work with different perspectives will prove invaluable in identifying strategic opportunities as well as developing solutions to the complex challenges currently facing the pensions sector,” he said.

Jerry Moriarty, chairman of the Irish Association of Pension Funds said the Pensions Authority post was a regulatory role and he noted it was a small board of just four people.

He believed somebody with a knowledge of pensions and pensions legislation would be required for it.

Concerning Mr Begg, he said: "I think he has been quite involved in pensions. He was on the board of Aer Lingus and that certainly would have had pension issues. Certainly, I would see him as someone who would know his way around pensions."