The Taoiseach yesterday strongly defended appointments to State boards. Mr Ahern said that many of the boards had Oireachtas members. "It is hard enough to get us to participate in these boards."
He was replying to the Green Party leader, Mr Trevor Sargent, who insisted that there was nothing to be lost by advertising the positions. "People who are capable, patriotic enough and in any way skilled should make their names known for a selection procedure."
Mr Ahern replied: "Does the deputy really believe that people who give of their expertise and time to the National Statistics Board, such as Professor Brendan Walsh, the chairman, or Dr Patricia O'Hara, would submit their names following an advertisement for board membership in the newspapers?
"The deputy should get real, for God's sake. They will not do so. The same applies to those from AIB Capital Markets or Irish Life who are members of the IFSC Clearing House Group."
Those people, he added, were experts in their field who were picked, not because of their political persuasion, but because the Government could get them to do the job. "On most State boards, we are increasingly trying to get international and local representatives. I do not think there is enormous chicanery regardless of who is in Government."
Mr Ahern said he also rejected the suggestion that people who were politicians, or retired from politics, should not be on boards. "I believe we would be far better off if there were politicians or former politicians on these boards."
Mr Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin (SF, Cavan-Monaghan) said that fundamental reform of the method of appointment of people to State boards was long overdue.
"Would the Taoiseach not agree that we need a system that is open to all citizens, with appointments based on suitability, ability and the level of information or application of the person?
"Would it not be preferable to have such an open and transparent system, rather than the current system that is open to the accusation that it is only accessed by those who know somebody, or as a sweetener for those who support particular political parties?"
Earlier, the Fine Gael leader, Mr Enda Kenny, said that a report by the United Nations Development Fund for Women, published in May of last year, showed that Ireland lagged seriously behind the percentage of women in national parliament and other representative positions, for instance sub-Saharan African states such as Eritrea, Uganda and Mozambique, had a higher female representation than Ireland.
"At this rate, it will take 370 years for the percentage of women in the Dáil to reach 50 per cent." He added that the Minister for Equality and Law Reform in the Rainbow Government, Mr Mervyn Taylor, had directed that State boards should appoint women to 40 per cent of their positions. But the average across Departments was just 29 per cent.
Mr Ahern said he had done all he could to enforce the rules.
Women, he said, represented 37 per cent of the National Statistics Board; 19 per cent of the National Economic and Social Council; 42 per cent of the National Economic and Social Forum; 40 per cent of the Information Society Commission; 29.5 per cent of the National Centre for Partnership and Performance; 60 per cent of the Law Reform Commission; 14.3 per cent of the International Financial Services Centre Clearing House Group.
He added that while appointments were made to other boards, not under his aegis, he tried to ensure that the target of 40 per cent was achieved if not exceeded.
