Rules ensure balanced gender on state boards
New rules were put in place today to ensure women would fill at least 40% of positions on state boards.
Frank Fahey, junior minister at the Department of Justice, said he had written to all Cabinet ministers asking them to comply.
“This decision will, within a relatively short period of time, see us make significant progress towards reaching the target of a minimum of 40% female representation on state boards,” he said.
The move ensures nominating bodies must put forward both male and female options for those appointments to state boards where they are the responsible authority.
The Government will then choose from among nominees so as to ensure that the 40% minimum representation from both genders is achieved.
“This target is a commitment in both the Programme for Government and Sustaining Progress and I am personally committed to seeing it reached,” the minister said.
The move comes on the back of a six-monthly report to the Government which revealed that where appointments were made on foot of nominations by Government or ministers, the 40% target was achieved.
But it also showed where other bodies nominated members, women made up only 19% of appointments.
The minister said given these “other bodies” accounted for 60% of all appointments to state boards, it was clear further progress towards achieving the target required action on this front.
