asked the Taoiseach if it is his policy and if he will instruct all the Ministers of his Government that appointments to State boards or bodies should reflect as far as is practicable the fact that women constitute over half the adult population of the country and if he will ensure that every Minister carries out this instruction.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - State Boards.
2.
As the Taoiseach informed the Dáil on 7 April 1987, he has instructed the members of the Government to advance the position and status of women in all aspects of their responsibilities. This includes in particular the appointment of suitably qualified women to State boards and bodies.
It is a pity the Taoiseach himself would not answer this question because I expect he would take responsibility for it. I understand the Minister of State's role is to co-ordinate rather than ensure that this occurs, and the Taoiseach should be ensuring that it occurs.
A question please, Deputy.
Is the Minister of State happy that the policy is being carried out, given that the Minister of State with responsibility for trade and marketing set up a committee recently on marketing called so far as I know, "The Marketing Think Tank" on which there were 15 men and no women?
Of course the Taoiseach will ensure that the instruction or advice he has given the Government will be carried out in so far as is practicable. The only way we can record the appointments officially to State boards is that the Department of Finance collate a six monthly record of appointments which gives details in relation to respective membership by males and females of all State boards. Since assuming office on 10 March last, this Government have appointed 51 women to State boards. That is a significant improvement on the situation that existed before then. Of course, I will not personally be happy until I can convince my Government colleagues that 50 per cent of appointments should be female.
I find it difficult to understand the Minister of State's position. Given that she says she is unhappy with the situation at the moment, how does she think she is going to get past this blockage? Here are a committee recently set up, and the Minister of State apparently has responsibility in this area, with 15 men and no women.
We are having repetition.
I ask your indulgence, Sir, because I am asking the Minister of State to indicate how she believes she is going to achieve this.
In reply to the Deputy's first supplementary, I indicated that this Government had achieved that of their nominees to State boards since they assumed office in March, 51 were women.
Is that in accordance with reducing substantially the budget to the Council for the Status of Women?
The budget for the Council for the Status of Women is the matter of a separate parliamentary question which I answered recently here in the Dáil. We are talking here about ministerial nominees to State boards and I am saying that 51 of the nominees appointed to State boards since last March were women. I said also I would be happier if 50 per cent of the membership of all State boards were women, but we must ensure that when nominees are being nominated, they are, of course, suitable, and where suitably qualified women are available and able to take up the position, then they are considered by the Government.
As a final supplementary, how many men were appointed to State boards in that period?
That is another question.
The Minister of State has volunteered information on women. As compared with——
The total number of appointees since March was 407 and 51 of those were women.
Ceist a trí.
Do written guidelines exist in the Cabinet with regard to the filling of directorships and are women included in these?
No, I am not aware that any written instructions exist within Cabinet for the manner in which appointments are made.