The Government's failure to ensure greater membership of women in State agencies has been criticised by the Labour Party spokeswoman on equality and law reform, Ms Jan O'Sullivan.
She accused the Government yesterday of lacking any proactive strategy to ensure that it meets its target of 40 per cent representation on State boards.
"The reality is that the Government has continued to allocate jobs on State boards and agencies mainly to men. In fact, during its first year in office the rate of women's participation on State boards actually decreased," Ms O'Sullivan said.
She was reacting to figures released to the Fine Gael frontbench member, Ms Frances Fitzgerald, which show that only one in four appointments to State agencies in the last three years have been women. This is far short of the 40 per cent promised by the Fianna Fail-Progressive Democrats Government when it came to power in June 1997.
Ms O'Sullivan said that each Government Department should be obliged to set gender targets and meet them within specific timescales.
"In setting these new targets, there may be a need to change the way in which business is done," she said. "More flexible meeting times, childcare facilities and more efficient meetings are all part of ensuring greater participation of women."