Michael Ferris
Question:49 Mr. Ferris asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the number of women on State boards in respect of each Department at 1 June 1997; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25180/98]
Written Answers - State Boards.
Willie Penrose
Question:51 Mr. Penrose asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the legislation, if any, he is considering to deal with gender balance on State boards; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25182/98]
Michael Bell
Question:65 Mr. Bell asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the number of women on State boards in respect of each Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25181/98]
Michael Ferris
Question:67 Mr. Ferris asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the number of women on State boards in respect of each Department at 1 June 1992; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25179/98]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 49, 51, 65 and 67 together.
The Second Commission on the Status of Women estimated that in 1992, 17 per cent of ministerial-Government appointments to State boards were women and 15 per cent of overall appointments were women.
Following the Government decision in March 1993 in relation to minimum representation of 40 per cent of both sexes on State boards my Department undertook to monitor the position of women on State boards on a quarterly basis
At 1 June 1997, women constituted 28 per cent of total membership and 36 per cent of ministerial-Government nominees on State boards At end September 1998, women constituted 28.1 per cent of total membership of State boards and 34.4 per cent of ministerial-Government nominees. Tabular statements showing the breakdown of membership of boards in each Department follow.
I intend to continue the policy objective of gender balance on State boards, with a minimum target of 40 per cent of women and men in direct appointments. I will also continue to encourage nominating bodies to adopt a similar policy. It is also Government policy that Ministers should endeavour to have a minimum of 40 per cent of both men and women among the chairs of boards of State bodies.
Given the improvement in women's representation from 15 per cent and 17 per cent in 1992 to the current figures of 28 per cent and 34.4 per cent, I do not see any necessity to introduce legislation at this stage. Each Minister is responsible for implementation of the Governments gender balance policy in his or her own area.
Composition of State Boards as at 30 June 1997
|
Department |
Total Serving Membership |
Women |
% of Total |
Serving Ministerial/ Governmental Nominees |
Women |
% of Total |
Chair |
% of Total |
|
|
Male |
Female |
||||||||
|
Agriculture, Food and Forestry |
85 |
25 |
29.4 |
61 |
21 |
34.4 |
9 |
0 |
0 |
|
Arts, Culture and the Gaeltacht |
232 |
88 |
37.9 |
156 |
67 |
42.9 |
16 |
4 |
20 |
|
Defence |
59 |
16 |
27.1 |
34 |
10 |
29.4 |
3 |
0 |
0 |
|
Education |
517 |
164 |
31.7 |
140 |
55 |
39.3 |
21 |
5 |
19.2 |
|
Enterprise and Employment |
695 |
170 |
24.5 |
120 |
39 |
32.5 |
37 |
11 |
22.9 |
|
Environment |
225 |
72 |
32 |
131 |
49 |
37.4 |
16 |
3 |
15.8 |
|
Equality and Law Reform |
24 |
16 |
66.7 |
17 |
10 |
58.8 |
0 |
2 |
100 |
|
Finance |
33 |
7 |
21.2 |
21 |
5 |
23.8 |
3 |
1 |
25 |
|
Foreign Affairs |
74 |
32 |
43.2 |
74 |
32 |
43.2 |
4 |
1 |
20 |
|
Health |
726 |
213 |
29.3 |
333 |
138 |
41.4 |
33 |
6 |
15.4 |
|
Justice |
320 |
106 |
33.1 |
290 |
102 |
35.2 |
25 |
7 |
21.9 |
|
Office of the Tánaiste |
49 |
25 |
51 |
6 |
4 |
66.7 |
1 |
2 |
66.7 |
|
Marine |
520 |
50 |
9.6 |
225 |
44 |
19.6 |
46 |
1 |
2.1 |
|
Social Welfare |
84 |
45 |
53.6 |
63 |
36 |
57.1 |
2 |
3 |
60 |
|
Taoiseach |
83 |
34 |
41 |
25 |
12 |
48 |
5 |
1 |
16.7 |
|
Tourism and Trade |
37 |
13 |
35.1 |
34 |
12 |
35.3 |
3 |
0 |
0 |
|
Transport, Energy and Communications |
115 |
26 |
22.6 |
95 |
24 |
25.3 |
11 |
1 |
8.3 |
|
Total |
3,878 |
1,102 |
28.4 |
1,825 |
660 |
36.2 |
235 |
48 |
17 |
Membership of State Boards — 30 September 1998
|
Department |
Total Serving Membership |
Women |
% of Total |
Serving Ministerial/ Governmental Nominees |
Women |
% of Total |
Total Male Chair-persons |
Total Female Chair-persons |
Female % of Total Chair |
|
Agriculture and Food |
78 |
22 |
29 |
49 |
17 |
29 |
6 |
1 |
14 |
|
Arts, Heritage, Gaeltacht and the Islands |
222 |
86 |
39 |
147 |
65 |
44 |
16 |
4 |
20 |
|
Defence |
58 |
15 |
26 |
34 |
9 |
26 |
3 |
– |
– |
|
Education and Science |
682 |
230 |
34 |
119 |
49 |
41 |
24 |
8 |
25 |
|
Enterprise, Trade and Employment |
698 |
174 |
25 |
113 |
35 |
31 |
38 |
9 |
19 |
|
Environment and Local Government |
179 |
60 |
34 |
122 |
50 |
41 |
13 |
3 |
19 |
|
Justice, Equality and Law Reform |
476 |
153 |
32 |
360 |
124 |
34 |
39 |
9 |
19 |
|
Finance |
34 |
5 |
15 |
21 |
4 |
19 |
3 |
1 |
25 |
|
Foreign Affairs |
78 |
35 |
45 |
22 |
10 |
46 |
3 |
2 |
40 |
|
Health and Children |
697 |
218 |
31 |
293 |
121 |
41 |
30 |
8 |
21 |
|
Marine and Natural Resources |
528 |
49 |
9 |
241 |
43 |
18 |
47 |
– |
– |
|
Social, Community and Family Affairs |
33 |
13 |
39 |
22 |
10 |
45 |
2 |
1 |
33 |
|
Taoiseach |
29 |
10 |
34 |
21 |
9 |
43 |
1 |
3 |
75 |
|
Tourism, Sport and Recreation |
26 |
9 |
35 |
22 |
7 |
32 |
2 |
– |
– |
|
Public Enterprise |
125 |
29 |
23 |
86 |
23 |
27 |
10 |
1 |
9 |
|
Total |
3,943 |
1,108 |
28 |
1,672 |
576 |
34 |
237 |
50 |
17 |