Paul Coghlan (Fine Gael)

No. I refer to a State document which I understand is issued and which lays down guidelines for all semi-State companies. In this regard, I also understand the Government has a gender balance policy for the State. I understand — the Leader may correct me — that the ratio is 60:40 for State companies. Perhaps some of them, and Fáilte Ireland in particular, do better than that.

Recently, however, I witnessed a case in which a State company owned 75% of another company which was operating through trustees. The trustees held a meeting to nominate a person to fill a vacancy on the board and they divided six to three on the issue. Their attitude was "hump the State and its policy". They thought that there should be horses for courses and that they knew best. They went ahead with a man.