Gender quotas to be considered for state boards

Published: Sunday, August 21, 2011

THE Justice Minister is considering gender quotas to ensure there are more women in important decision-making positions on state boards.

Data being compiled for the Department of Justice is expected to show women make up just 34% of state board positions and an even lower percentage of chairperson positions.

The figures fall far short of the 40% target set by Fine Gael and Labour in the Programme for Government.

It is understood that some departments have had difficulty meeting this target because not enough women applied for positions advertised in May.

The Department of Justice has set up a working group chaired by Minister of State with responsibility for equality Kathleen Lynch to look at ways of ending this "jobs for the boys" culture.

The department said: "The group is looking at the advancement of women into leadership and decision-making roles including on state and corporate boards."

The group is represented by a number of departments as well as the Equality Authority and the National Women's Council, who favour withdrawing funding for boards that do not meet quotas.

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