Gerry Adams (Louth, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I actively encourage the Taoiseach on the issue of pursuing a gender balance. As he will be aware, the majority of citizens are women who are unrepresented in most public institutions.

I am disappointed - if I heard the Taoiseach properly - that not all of the vacancies were advertised. He may be aware that earlier this year the Institute of Directors in Ireland carried out a survey among executives in State bodies - it was pertinent to hear their views - who stated they did not think the appointments process was open. I recall the Taoiseach outlining persons being put forward for appointment as chairpersons of State boards would have to go before Oireachtas committees, but he also made it clear that such committees would not have the same authority as Senate committees in the United States, that proposed appointees would be interviewed by the committees but that they would have no say in whether they would be appointed. I think that was a fault in the Government's position.

I note that the former Chairman of the environment committee expressed his disappointment that the Joint Committee on the Environment, Culture and the Gaeltacht had been bypassed by the Minister, Deputy Phil Hogan, in appointing the chairman of a State board. I am sure the person appointed was good and worthy to be in the position. It was to the Dublin Docklands Development Authority in June 2012 and the committee was only informed afterwards. The same applied to the appointment of the director general of the Environmental Protection Agency in November 2011. Is this totally at odds with what the Government set out to do? Is it satisfactory? Has the Taoiseach spoken to the Minister about it?

See this speech in context