Vol. 438 No. 1
44 Mrs. T. Ahearn asked the Minister for Finance the number of ushers employed in Leinster House; the number of women employed as ushers; the proposals, if any, to increase the number of women ushers; if facilities will be provided for women; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
There are at present 33 male ushers employed in the Houses of the Oireachtas. Ushers are recruited to the Houses of the Oireachtas by means of Civil Service Commission competition. While there are no women employed in that grade, the Civil Service Commissioners have recently advertised a public competition to fill vacancies and to establish a panel from which future vacancies may be filled. The Commissioners and the Houses of the Oireachtas are both committed to a positive policy of equal opportunity and the content and spirit of the advertisement invited male and female applications equally.
Members of interview boards convened by the Civil Service Commission are briefed on the Civil Service policy in relation to equality of opportunity and, in addition, are provided with written guidelines stating the policy in relation to the conducting of interviews.
Provision for refurbishment of accommodation to provide facilities, including a special rest-changing room, for female ushers within the confines of Leinster House have been included in the 1994 Estimates in anticipation of female candidates being successful in the current competition, and work on the refurbishment is scheduled to commence shortly.
