Michael Ring
Question:1452. Deputy Michael Ring asked the Minister for Justice if all vacancies (details supplied) are advertised; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [19819/21]
View answerWednesday, 21 April 2021
Questions (1452, 1454, 1498)
Michael Ring
Question:1454. Deputy Michael Ring asked the Minister for Justice if any person can apply for a position (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [19874/21]
View answer
John McGuinness
Question:1498. Deputy John McGuinness asked the Minister for Justice the efforts her Department is making to achieve gender balance on all State boards and agencies under the remit of her Department; if she will set out the changes achieved to date on each; if 50% of the membership of all boards, policy groups or agencies that provide advice to Government on matters of policy will be reserved for appropriately qualified individuals from the private sector in order to achieve a balance between the public and private sectors; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [20730/21]
View answerWritten answers
I propose to take Questions Nos. 1452, 1454 and 1498 together.
As the Deputy will appreciate, selection processes for appointments to State Boards are undertaken by the Public Appointments Service. The Deputy will be aware that the State Boards process is designed to enable any person to apply for a position on a State Board.
I can confirm that my Department regularly advertises positions for appointment to State Boards on the Public Appointments Service website www.stateboards.ie. The website is the channel used by the Public Appointments Service to both inform the public of vacancies on State Boards and to collate expressions of interest in those roles. I understand it is possible for anyone who may be interested in being appointed to register for notifications of vacancies. Further information is available on its website.
In making appointments to State boards/bodies, my Department and agencies under the remit of my Department, ensures compliance with the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform’s Code of Practice for the Governance of State Bodies (2016), and pays particular attention to its recent Annex on Gender Balance, Diversity and Inclusion (2020), in addition to the Guidelines on Appointments to State Boards (2015).
It is worth noting that many of the bodies in the justice sector were established on foot of primary legislation; where such legislation provides specific gender balance requirements, my Department ensures compliance. A number of boards have ex officio positions which may require to be held by particular office holders.
The gender breakdown for each of the State boards/bodies under my Department's remit is set out in the attached table.
The following revised reply was received on 22 June 2021
Regrettably, we are now aware that there was an error in the answer regarding the current number of members on the Property Services Regulatory Authority. The correct answer is as follows: There are 7 current members: 5 women and 2 men with 4 vacancies.