Catherine Murphy (Kildare North, Independent)
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265. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the present gender balance of the total members of State boards under the aegis his Department; if the ratio has changed significantly over the course of the present Government’s term; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36314/13]

Brendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour)
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As the Deputy is aware in 2011 the Government introduced new arrangements for the appointment of State board members. Under the new arrangements, Departments now invite expressions of interest from the public in vacancies on the boards of bodies under their aegis on their websites. It is open to all members of the public regardless of gender, political affiliations or geographically location to apply for appointment to these vacancies. I am satisfied that the new arrangements introduced by the Government in 2011 have significantly improved transparency in the making of appointments to State Boards compared with the making of appointments in previous years. Since the formation of this Government 16 members have been nominated to State Boards, 25% of which being female. In view of the statutory procedures for the appointment of members of the Civil Service Arbitration Board and the Public Appointments Service, there is limited scope for me to take a factor such as gender into account when I make such appointments. I would like to make it clear that it is my intention in the limited number of appointments I have to make to increase the number of women appointees over the lifetime of the Government. The following tables give a breakdown of the gender balance of State boards under my remit in 2011 and 2013:

Department of Public Expenditure and Reform Gender balance of State boards 2013

Department of Public Expenditure and Reform Gender balance of State boards 2011