Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Wednesday, 22 Jan 1997

Vol. 473 No. 4

Written Answers. - Ministerial Appointments.

Helen Keogh

Ceist:

83 Ms Keogh asked the Taoiseach the State and semi-State boards under the aegis of his Department; the appointments, if any, which have been made to these boards in the past year; the number of women who have been appointed; the percentage of women currently on each of these boards; and the end date of the current term of all of the boards. [1332/97]

The Taoiseach

The State and semi-State boards under the aegis of my Department are: The Western Development Commission; Area Development Management Limited; The Law Reform Commission; The National Economic and Social Council; and The National Statistics Board.

Since 25 June 1996, when the Deputy last inquired, the position regarding appointments to these boards is as follows:

The Western Development Commission was established on 1 January 1997 and, of the seven appointments made to the commission, there were three women, 42.9 per cent. The commission's term will expire on 31 December 1999. The term of the former Western Development Partnership Board expired on 31 December 1996. There were no new appointments to the board in the last six months. Of a total board membership of 34, there were 13 women, i.e. 38.2 per cent.

Area Development Management Limited has 13 board members, of whom five, 38.5 per cent are women. There are currently three vacancies on the board. There is no end-of-termper se but one third of the board are required to stand down each year. In this regard, there were five new members appointed in October-November 1996. Four of these new members were female.

The Law Reform Commission consists of a president, Mr. Justice Anthony Hederman, whose five-year term of office expires on 19 October 1997. A commissioner, Mr. Simon O'Leary, was re-appointed as a commissioner for a period of two months, from 2 January to 1 March 1997. There are vacancies for up to three commissioners at present. Each commissioner may be appointed for up to five years.

The National Economic and Social Council had one new appointment made since 25 June 1996. Mr. Dara Murphy was appointed in October 1996. There are 34 people on the council of whom 13, 38.2 per cent, are women. The end date of the current term of the council is 31 December 1997. The National Statistics Board is currently being re-appointed. The new board will run for a two year term.

The percentages of women currently on each of these boards are as follows:

Organisation	Total	No. of Women	%
Western Development Commission	7	3	42.9
Area Development Management Ltd.¹	13	5	38.5
Law Reform Commission	2
	(see note²)	0	—
National Economic and Social Council	34	13	38.2
National Statistics Board	currently being re-appointed

1 There are three additional vacancies

2 The filling of three more vacancies is pending

The position regarding other bodies under the aegis of the Department is as follows:

Organisation	Total	No. of Women	%
Devolution Commission	15	5	33
—No change since June 1996 — End of term date not applicable
Strategic Management Initiative Co-ordinating Group	21	8	38
—No change since June 1996 — End of term date not applicable