Jan O'Sullivan (Limerick East, Labour)

What progress in respect of gender balance has been made with regard to appointments to the various boards? The aim of the Government is to have male and female representation of at least 40% on each board. My recollection is that when the Minister for Defence, who is sitting beside the Taoiseach, was a Minister of State with responsibility in this area, he suggested that he might introduce legislation to ensure this would happen, had it not happened voluntarily within a period of six months. As I believe that was the best part of a decade ago, what progress has been made in this regard? Is a mechanism in operation whenever someone is being appointed to a State board to ensure the issue of gender balance is considered before such an appointment is made?

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