Dominic Hannigan (Meath East, Labour)
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To ask the Minister for Defence if he will outline, in tabular form, both the number and the percentage of women and men on State boards under the aegis of his Department in each of the past ten years; if he will provide the most up-to-date figures available regarding the number and percentage of women and men on State boards under the aegis of his Department in 2012; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38854/12]

Anne Ferris (Wicklow, Labour)
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To ask the Minister for Defence the steps he is taking to ensure that State boards have at least 40% of each gender, as provided for in the Programme for Government; the percentage at present; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39150/12]

Alan Shatter (Dublin South, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 1335 and 1337 together.

The State Boards under the aegis of my Department are the Army Pensions Board, the Civil Defence Board and the Board of Coiste an Asgard. The number and percentage of women and men on these Boards in each of the past ten years is set out below.

Civil Defence Board

Army Pensions Board

Coiste an Asgard

All appointments to Boards under the aegis of my Department are in accordance with the relevant legislation or regulations and are to suitably qualified and experienced individuals. The Programme for Government sets out that we will take steps to ensure that all State Boards have at least 40% of each gender. The principal function of the Army Pensions Board under the Army Pensions Acts is to investigate applications for pensions, allowances and gratuities arising from the death or disablement of members of the Defence Forces in the course of their military service. The Army Pensions Board comprises 3 members: a chairman, a civilian medical doctor and an officer of the Army Medical Corps. There has been one appointment to the Army Pensions Board since February 2011. The Army Pensions Act 1927 specifies that one of the ordinary members must be an officer of the Army Medical Corps, and I appointed a male officer to the position of Army Medical Corps member of the Board in December 2011 on the recommendation of the Chief of Staff.

There have been no appointments to the Board of Coiste an Asgard since 2009. In the context of settling the Estimates for the Department of Defence for 2010, the Government decided that the national sail training scheme operated by Coiste an Asgard would be discontinued as recommended in the Report of the Special Group on Public Service Numbers and Expenditure. There are 9 members remaining on the Board, which will be dissolved shortly. The Civil Defence Act 2002 provides that the Board shall consist of at least eight but not more than 14 members who shall be appointed by the Minister for Defence. Legislation is currently being drafted to dissolve the Civil Defence Board and transfer the functions of the Board back into the Department of Defence. I appointed the current Board as an interim measure from 2011. The gender ratio of the interim Board is in line with the commitment in the Programme for Government regarding gender balance on State Boards.