Barry Cowen (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)
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722. To ask the Minister for Health 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. [32763/14]

Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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The Government decision S21590E of March, 1995 regarding the appointment of women to State Bodies states that there is a requirement for a minimum of 40% of both men and women appointed as Ministerial representatives to all State Bodies. Although the overall current membership of State boards under the aegis of my Department is well balanced, with 56% of the membership being male and 44% female, some individual boards do not yet have a balance of 40% of each gender. These figures have remained largely unchanged over the last three years. In so far as possible when making appointments to such boards, I will endeavour to ensure an appropriate balance between men and women.