O'Rourke is accused of `slipping up' on equality

The Minister for Public Enterprise, Ms O'Rourke, has been accused of "letting the equality agenda slip".

The criticism came from the National Women's Council and opposition representatives yesterday following the Minister's announcement of a new Light Rail Advisory/Action Group. The group, which will oversee the implementation of the timetable for the Luas development, is to be chaired by the former managing director of the IDA, Mr Padraic White. It comprises six men and one woman - the insurance ombudsman Ms Caroline Gill.

Ms Katherine Zappone, chief executive officer of the National Women's Council, said the initial recommendation that all State appointments should have a 40 per cent female gender balance came from the Second Council on the Status of Women and was adopted by government in 1991. "It is a clear breach of the spirit and understanding of the membership of State groups."

Mr Jim Higgins, Fine Gael spokesman on justice, equality and law reform and the Democratic Left spokeswoman on equality, Ms Liz McManus, also said they believed the appointments were a "slipping of the equality agenda".

A spokesman for the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform said that while the 40 per cent rule is Government policy, "it is not a statutory policy and it is up to each Minister to ensure that, where possible, the rule is implemented".

The members of the Light Rail Advisory/Action Group are: Mr White, the former managing director of the IDA and a director of a number of Irish and international companies; Mr Donal Mangan, the light rail project director; Mr Pat Mangan, an assistant secretary in the Department of Public Enterprise; Mr Tom Wall, assistant general secretary of the ICTU; Mr Gerry Duggan, manager of the strategic consultancy group at ESB International; Ms Caroline Gill, the insurance ombudsman; and Mr Oliver O'Connor, an investment fund specialist with Robson Rhodes chartered accountants.