Barry Cowen (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

532. To ask the Minister for Defence the gender quota targets for the boards of State bodies and agencies under their remit; the level reached to date; and their future plans to meet and maintain the targets. [32758/14]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

The Programme for Government 2011-2016 includes a commitment to take steps to ensure that all State Boards have at least 40 per cent of each gender. My Department reviews the gender balance of State boards under its aegis and returns are made annually to the Department of Justice and Equality which has a coordinating role in this regard. The only State body under the aegis of my Department is the Army Pensions Board. The Army Pensions Board comprises 3 members: a chairman, a civilian medical doctor and an officer of the Army Medical Corps. The chairman and the non military ordinary member are appointed by the Minister for Defence with the concurrence of the Minister for Public Expenditure & Reform. The Army Medical Corps ordinary member is appointed by the Minister for Defence on the recommendation of the Chief of Staff of the Defence Forces.

The Army Pensions Board currently has 1 female member who was appointed in 2013 following a publicly advertised competitive process.