Jonathan O'Brien (Cork North Central, Sinn Fein)
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Question 268: To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if he will provide a full breakdown by gender of all appointments to State boards since February 2011; the current status of State boards in relation to the percentage of participation of women and men in each one; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17565/12]

Brendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour)
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In response to the Deputy's question the following appointments were made to Boards under the aegis of my Department since February 2011.

Five reappointments, all of which were male, were made for a 12 month term ending 30 June 2012 to the Arbitration Board under the Conciliation and Arbitration Scheme for the Civil Service, the Defence Forces, the Gardai and Teachers.

In September 2011 members of the Board of the Public Appointments Service were appointed. Of the external appointments to the board (not including the CEO) three females and five males were appointed.

The Public Service Management (Recruitment and Appointments) Act, 2004 states that the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform (in consultation with Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government, the Minister for Health and the Minister for Justice, Equality and Defence) should appoint members of the Board of the Public Appointments Service.

The Board is representative of the client base. The majority of the board are therefore civil or public servants, nominated by the relevant Minister (two males and two females were nominated in this category). There is also a union representative nominated by ICTU (male). The outgoing Chairman (male) was reappointed by me. The two external members were appointed by me because of their expertise in strategic change and public service recruitment respectively. In this category one male and one female were appointed.

In relation to An Post National Lottery one reappointment was made to the Board in the form of the current chairman. Of a possible seven members of the board one is a female.