In consideration of approaches to the filling of board posts for bodies under the aegis of my Department, my obligations are informed by guidance notes issued by the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform, guidance which includes the 2014 Guidelines on Appointments to State boards, the 2016 Code of Practice for the Governance of State bodies, and also the 2020 publication by D/PER of an Annex on Gender Balance, Diversity and Inclusion to the Code of Practice (https://www.gov.ie/en/circular/ceb75-142020-code-of-practice-for-the-governance-of-state-bodies/). This suite of guidelines codify the process for filling vacancies on State Boards for bodies under the aegis of my Department. In addition to the consideration which must be given to the obligations laid down in the guidance notes, consideration also has to be given to relevant legislative underpinning of the aegis bodies as appointments made by me as Minister, are not in all cases made at my discretion.
Appointments to state boards are typically made via the Public Appointments Service (PAS) who manage this process. Applications are made through the dedicated website www.stateboards.ie with this website being the channel used by PAS to both inform the public of vacancies and to collate expressions of interest in vacancies.
Members of the public interested in service on a state board may register with PAS via www.publicjobs.ie and receive alerts when state board vacancies are advertised. In regard to vacancies, PAS routinely stipulate the skill set required for service on individual boards in specific information booklets. An assessment process is undertaken by PAS leading to the creation of a list of candidates suitable for appointments to Boards.
Additionally, subsequent to the publication of the 2020 Annex and effective from the 2020 Annual Report’s obligation, there is new requirement on Chairpersons of boards of bodies to include in the annual Chairperson's comprehensive report to the Minister, details of the progress by the body in addressing gender equality, diversity and inclusion.
Since 1992, it has been an ongoing Government commitment that each State Board should consist of 40% representation from each gender. An enhanced 45% gender balance target was set by Government decision in July 2014 for those boards who had already achieved 40% representation from each gender. In this regard, the former Department of Education and Skills reported annually on the gender composition on the boards of over 40 bodies that were, until the establishment of the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science (DFHERIS), under its remit. These included departmental aegis bodies, appeals boards and cultural and higher education organisations and institutes.
A consolidated report was furnished by my Department to the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth (DCEDIY) in respect of the period 2 December 2019 to 31 August 2020. The report included data on 42 bodies including 30 of whom are now under the remit of DFHERIS. Of the 42 bodies, 27 boards (64.29%) were meeting the 40% target and 14 boards were meeting the enhanced target of 45% of each gender. Overall at that time, 46.74% of the membership of those boards were female and 53.26% were male. In relation to the 15 boards not reaching the 40% target last year, 6 boards had fewer than 40% male representation and 9 had fewer than 40% female representation.
In December 2019, reporting on behalf of the same cohort of bodies, the former Department of Education and Skills, reported that out of a total of 46 boards, 28 boards (60.9%) were meeting the 40% target and 12 boards were meeting the enhanced target of 45% of each gender. Overall that year, 45.9% of the membership of those boards were women and 54.1% were men.
In December 2018, reporting on the same cohort, the former Department of Education and Skills, reported that out of a total of 48 boards, 27 boards (56.3%) were meeting the 40% target and 13 boards were meeting the enhanced target of 45% of each gender. Overall that year, 42.7% of the membership of those boards were women and 57.3% were men.
My Department will continue the engagement with the bodies under its remit to ensure appropriate consideration is given to gender balance in the composition of State boards.
