Barry Cowen (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)
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606. To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality the gender quota targets for the boards of State bodies and agencies under her remit; the level reached to date; and their future plans to meet and maintain the targets. [32765/14]

Frances Fitzgerald (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael)
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The Government's Programme for National Recovery 2011-2016 reaffirms the Government target that all State Boards shall have at least 40% representation of each gender. The gender balance on State Boards is monitored by my Department for progress towards this target. In April 2011, the Government approved a transparency proposal to allow future vacancies on State Boards to be advertised on relevant Department websites, as well as directing attention to Government policy on gender balance on State boards.

The percentage of women on the State Boards under the aegis of my Department was 38.1 per cent at the end of 2013 which is up from 36.5% at the end of 2012. My Department will continue to take steps to ensure and improve gender balance on relevant State Boards.