Vol. 428 No. 2
15 Mr. M. McDowell asked the Minister for Finance his views on whether women are totally unrepresented at managerial level in the Civil Service; whether he intends to take any action to redress this imbalance; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
It would be quite wrong to suggest that women are totally unrepresented at managerial level in the Civil Service. Of those serving at managerial level in the main general service grades, more than 25 per cent are women. While women are still underrepresented at the higher levels in the Civil Service, I am pleased to say that the situation is becoming more balanced each year.
Since 1991 the executive officer grade has been made up equally of men and women. As that grade is one of the chief grades from which future higher civil servants will be drawn, the gender balance there is a significant step towards achieving a greater balance further up the ranks.
I am happy to say that equality of opportunity is a live issue in the Civil Service. The implementation of the policy is looked after by the equality section in my Department in close consultation with the staff side.
The Minister said that since 1991 the executive officer grade has been made up equally of men and women. Can he say whether he will rely exclusively on the natural evolution of people over their career cycles to maintain this level of representation or whether any positive measures to encourage greater female representation at higher levels will be undertaken by the Government?
I do not believe it is enough to leave the matter to natural evolution within career cycles. Some time ago the Department set up an equal opportunities policy and guidelines group. It has undertaken a number of initiatives — for example, the equality workshops. I think these have been initiated in a number of Departments, but I am not too sure of the full extent of these. I know from my time in the Department of Labour that all Departments were being encouraged to get involved actively in these workshops.
In regard to the various Civil Service examinations, an examination is carried out at all times to see if the gender results meet the standards which are seen to be reasonable. Many other initiatives are being taken to ensure that there is equality of opportunity — for example, there is also an examination following interviews. All of the data are accumulated on an annual basis to ensure that increases in female representation in the Civil Service, particularly at the higher levels, are being achieved. This is being achieved throughout the system but, naturally, female representation at the higher levels is still very low.
As Minister with responsibility for the public service does the Minister not think it is appalling that there is not one female county manager or regional health board manager? I do not think there is any female representation on the next grade either. Will the Minister do something about this area, a crucial area of managerial authority within the public service?
There is still no female representation at the top managerial levels. There are a number of female assistant secretaries, Revenue solicitors and general solicitors. There is also female representation at many of the other senior grades. The training course being run for female management in the Civil Service and the other proposals I have mentioned are seeking to ensure that there is an even balance at the top managerial levels. It may take some time to achieve this, but the level of female representation at the top grades is improving each year.
Have any of the bodies the Minister referred to set actual targets or is it simply an aspiration they hope to achieve?
I think they all have targets, but there are no quotas. I raised the issue of quotas some years ago but they are considered in both European and national law to be against the spirit of equality: there has to be equality of opportunity for men and women without any discrimination or building-in of fixed quotas. The efforts being made by the equal opportunities policy and guidelines group and the various research which has been carried out will help to ensure a fairer level of female representation at the senior grades.
