Vol. 453 No. 6
3 Dr. Woods asked the Minister for Equality and Law Reform in relation to his Department's report in 1993 on a survey of equal opportunities in the public sector, the extent to which women were under-represented in senior management and professional posts; the measures, if any, he has taken to enable women to break through the glass ceiling; and if he has identified the barriers which prevent them from doing so at present. [9732/95]
As indicated in December 1993, when I published the report on a survey of equal opportunities in the public sector, women are virtually absent from senior management in the public service and very few public sector bodies have specific equality objectives and timescales for progress towards equality. The published report refers to data collected on the position in 1990 and the picture painted was one of a totally unacceptable level of inequality in our public service.
The report was broken into three main parts, dealing with State-sponsored bodies, local authorities and health boards. In the State-sponsored bodies only 2 per cent of senior management were female while only 6 per cent of management-professionals were female. In local authorities 1 per cent of women were at senior management level and 6 per cent of women were in the professional-management category. Among administrative staff in health boards there were no women in senior management posts although their representation in professional posts was 21 per cent.
Following on the release of this report my Department wrote to all public sector employers exhorting them to introduce equal opportunities policies and programmes without delay. This was further followed up when the Government undertook in the Programme for Competitiveness and Work that all public sector employers which had not introduced equal opportunities programmes would be requested to do so before the end of 1994. I understand that progress is being made in this regard across the public sector. The evidence for this is reflected in the requests for assistance being made by public sector employers on the Employment Equality Agency and other public service support agencies.
Under the aegis of my Department, the Employment Equality Agency adopts a proactive role in the encouragement of both employers and trade unions to adopt equality policies by the provision of guidance, advice and published material. It continues to support and assist equal opportunities networks in the State-sponsored bodies sector. In recent months the Employment Equality Agency, in conjunction with the Irish Vocational Education Association and the Association of Chief Executive Officers of Vocational Education Committees, has developed a special, "Model Equal Opportunities Policy for Vocational Education Committees," and is further involved in follow-up advisory sessions.
The removal of barriers to more women progressing to management positions in local authorities is one of the aims of a recent initiative of the agency. This involves a major equal opportunities project with a local authority and a large retail chain, entitled, "Quality through Equality", and is currently under way with funding assistance from the EU. The criteria for selecting participants for the project included the requirement to develop practical measures of gender equality which could be applied to Irish employments, with a view to developing models of best practice for equal opportunities in both the public and private sectors. It is worth pointing out here that absence of women in senior management and professional positions is equally a feature of private sector employments.
The Employment Equality Agency also assists with the entry of more women into management positions and decision-making areas through support for legislative redress. Individuals who feel they failed to secure a management position because of discrimination on grounds of sex or marital status can seek the agency's advice and assistance in making a complaint to the employer. If it proves necessary to take a formal case under the Employment Equality Act, 1977, the agency can provide representation before both the equality officer and Labour Court. In successful cases, the equality officer and Labour Court can instruct that the woman be appointed to the disputed position.
It is important to note that the Employment Equality Act, 1977 prohibits discrimination in employment on grounds of sex or marital status and provides for equal treatment of men and women at work. Where there is underrepresentation of one sex, however, the Act allows for special training to be provided to enable the under-represented group compete on an equal footing for promotional positions. Some equality training initiatives are being used in the Civil Service, for example, where there has been a modest increase in women at senior management levels. I will be seeking to strengthen the provisions of employment equality legislation on positive action in the forthcoming legislation which is in preparation and which I propose to publish later in the year.
Notwithstanding the existence of legislation and the ongoing efforts of the agency I am increasingly inclined to the view that the most effective approach to tackling the problem of under-representation of women at higher levels in work organisations is one which arises within the organisation itself where management recognises the potential value of having more women in senior positions and where women actively pursue such opportunities. In this regard I welcome the initiative of the Midland and Mid-Western Health Boards in commissioning research to ascertain the views and advice of women on their perceptions of the barriers to promotion in their employments and how these can be removed. The conclusions of this survey reflect similarly unacceptable patterns of inequality as were found in the 1993 report.
At the same time both these health boards are to be commended for their willingness to tackle this issue in such an open manner. Undoubtedly their initiative will also prove relevant for other health boards and indeed other public sector employers.
Does the Minister agree that in 1995 it is appalling that women are represented to the extent of only 1 per cent and 2 per cent and, in some cases, not represented at all, at senior management level? In reply to a question I tabled recently the Minister stated that in the Civil Service the number of women at principal officer level was 12.1 per cent, 5.5 per cent at Assistant Secretary level and none at Secretary level. Does this not indicate there is something radically wrong with present procedures? Will the Minister examine Civil Service and local government promotional interview board systems to ensure that women get through what appears to be a glass ceiling? While everything appears to be equitable and in order, in general women are still not appointed to higher level posts even though it is 20 years since the marriage ban was lifted. If women are not appointed to principal officer level in the Civil Service, where they are represented to the extent of only 12 per cent at present, they will not have an opportunity of being appointed to higher posts. As the greatest number of management posts arise at principal officer level, will the Minister examine the position?
I agree the level of advance in this regard leaves much to be desired. This complex problem has been endemic in our society for many years, but we are beginning to make progress. It is important that public and private sector employers recognise the benefits to be gained in their organisations by implementing gender equality programmes. I commend semi-State bodies such as Aer Rianta, Aer Lingus, the ESB, An Post and SFADCo which have devised equal opportunities programmes. We are endeavouring to exhort other companies to follow their lead, but that must be coupled with the improvements proposed in the anti-discrimination legislation to outlaw discrimination on gender grounds in the promotion of women at all levels in the public and private sectors. The matter must be tackled at a number of levels.
Women must be appointed to positions of influence right across the spectrum of State, interview and appointment boards. The Government is adopting the policy of a minimum of 40 per cent women and men on all new State boards so that the influential position of women can work its way through interview and appointment boards. Progress will be made when State boards, equal opportunities policies and new legislation coalesce and I look forward to that happening.
The Minister stated that training is offered as a support for women who fail to attain higher level grades. Fair competition is needed from the point of view of women because it would appear that they have to be outstanding to be successful at interviews. Despite that, they do not seem to have the opportunities to which they are entitled. This is a serious problem because the people on these boards are already at a higher level in their careers. Since women are grossly under-represented at the higher level, there is perhaps an unintentional bias against them. I ask the Minister to seriously consider the operation of the Civil Service boards, about which we hear so much in regard to equity, as they apply in local government. Also, will the Minister commission a study of the factors involved here which are very real for the women affected who experience great frustration as a result?
I assure Deputy Woods that all aspects of the matter are constantly kept under review by my Department and the Department of Finance, which also has a role in this matter. A key factor is an appropriate representation of women on interview boards making these promotions. That is a very important aspect. We are aware of a number of the contributory factors. The availability of child care, for example, is very important in allowing women an equal opportunity to participate for prolonged periods at work, notwithstanding family responsibilities. That is the reason my Department is giving such a high priority to the question of child care provision. I believe there is a question on the Order Paper about that. In cases of unfair competition, as suggested by Deputy Woods, under existing legislation, if discrimination takes place a remedy exists and the Employment Equality Agency, which operates under the ambit of my Department, is ready, willing and able to assist any woman who feels that she has not been treated fairly in any competition for a new position. The new Bill, which is in course of preparation, will strengthen those provisions further.
Proving that is very difficult.
The time for dealing with priority questions is exhausted. I can, however, proceed to deal with Questions Nos. 5 and 6 in ordinary time.
