Mary White (Fianna Fail)

It was a pleasure to do so. I apologise for saying that as I do not like to boast. I was brought up to be humble. As we know the workforce currently comprises nearly 49% of women. In the early 1990s, the Government decided there should be a 40-60 ratio of women to men on State boards. The Minister of State at the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform, Deputy O'Dea, is vigilant as regards ensuring this is happening. Currently women make up 35% of State boards. This is being driven by the Government. Every six months the Cabinet assesses whether the State boards are delivering on this 40-60 target. So we are getting there.

The crunch of what I have to say concerns "jobs for the boys", rather than the political appointments as highlighted by the three Senators who proposed the motion. A study commissioned by the Irish chapter of the International Women's Forum, supported by AIB, entitled "Women in Corporate Governance in Ireland", did quantitative and qualitative research into women in Irish private companies. The report, published only a month ago, finds that men hold 96% of the board seats in Ireland's top private companies. Only 5% of women sit on the boards of private companies; in the semi-State area it is 35%. The reasons given by the private sector boards include lack of business experience by women, exclusion from networks and male unease about having women on board.