Sir, - So, the Government is committed to having women comprise 40 per cent of State bodies - presumably to address discrimination and attempt to redress the anomaly of representation of two genders by one gender (overwhelmingly).
The Government's self-proclaimed "commitment" in this area is redolent of the chicken and pig situation. In contributing to breakfast, the chicken is involved (by providing eggs), but the pig is committed - by providing the bacon.
Given that some of our most senior Government Ministers (Harney, McCreevy and O'Rourke), have role modelled their depth of commitment by appointing a paltry 25 per cent, 12 per cent and 13 per cent, respectively, of women to State boards - it is obvious which animal they reflect.
Let's hope the electorate show what they think of such chicken behaviour at the next opportunity! - Yours, etc.,
Grace O'Malley, M.Psych.Sci., MBA, Sydney Avenue, Blackrock, Co Dublin