Nuala Fennell
Ceist:6 Mrs. Fennell asked the Taoiseach when he intends to appoint a woman as a fifth member of the Top Level Appointments Committee.
Ceisteanna — Questions. Oral Answers. - Top Level Appointments Committee.
Arrangements for the appointment are in hands and will be completed as soon as possible.
I thank the Taoiseach for the commitment to extend the top level appointments committee. Now that that has been dealt with, would he agree there is a need to encourage women, highly qualified civil servants, to apply for these positions? It is on the record that very few women have applied when these positions were advertised in the past. Would the Taoiseach consider it necessary to invite women at top level to apply for these positions?
We all agree that women should be encouraged, I am not aware that there is any lack of enthusiasm on the part of women in the public service to go forward for higher posts. Anything that can be done to encourage that should, of course, be done. However the important thing is that the Top Level Appointments Committee will now have a woman member.