Holly Cairns (Cork South West, Social Democrats)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

141. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the number of State boards under the remit of his Department or its agencies in tabular form; the number of members of each board; the number of women on each board; and the percentage of each board that is made up of women. [49565/21]

Michael McGrath (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

Enhanced gender diversity on State Boards is a long standing commitment of Government and is also important in terms of enhancing the effectiveness of State Boards. I am strongly committed to building on the progress made in recent years in this regard.

The Deputy may be aware that in September 2020 I published an Annex to the Code of Practice for the Governance of State Bodies. The Annex deals with Gender Balance, Diversity and Inclusion. Provisions included in this Annex are specifically aimed at improving diversity on State Boards such as reducing the board terms and facilitating greater turnover of Board members.

In addition, the annual Chairperson's comprehensive report to the relevant Minister must set out progress being made in addressing gender equality and diversity issues; where the Board stands vis-à-vis the 40% gender balance requirements; measures being taken to address where the 40% requirements are not met and specifically measures being taken to address the situation where a Board is either all male or all female.

Most importantly each Board should carry out an annual self-assessment evaluation and this process should incorporate a detailed analysis and critical assessment of the gender, diversity and skills mix within the Board, including where relevant a critical assessment of the reasons why gender balance in Board membership has not yet been achieved.

The information requested by the Deputy regarding the State Boards under the remit of my Department and the bodies under the aegis of my Department is set out below.

*The PAS Board has nine members when fully constituted.