David Andrews
Question:30 Mr. Andrews asked the Minister for the Environment the plans, if any, he has to address the very serious gender imbalance in local authorities. [12901/97]
Written Answers. - Local Authority Staff.
My strategy paper on local government reform — Better Local Government — A Programme for Change — acknowledges that there is a clear gender imbalance in the management levels in the local authority service, notwithstanding the fact that local authorities have adopted equal opportunity policies and that some progress has been made in recent years. A number of measures are now proposed to further promote equality of opportunity in the local authority service at management and other levels. Guidelines on the introduction of active equality policies and programmes in each local authority are nearing completion, and I expect to issue them to local authorities very shortly. A special development programme is to be established for women managers. This and other matters related to promotion of equality of opportunity are being developed by the Local Government Management Services Board, with the input of the local authority personnel officers' network. The Local Appointments Commission, which conducts recruitment to senior management and professional posts, is committed to the continuous improvement of its selection processes, and has already made considerable strides in ensuring that there is increasing participation of women on its interview boards. Local authorities are being asked to place considerably greater emphasis on this important aspect of recruitment policy too.