Public appointments watchdog Judena Leslie wants targets to improve women's representation

In her first interview since taking over the post of commissioner for public appointments, Judena Leslie told BBC Northern Ireland's The View programme that government departments have to do more to promote women in public life

All government departments should set targets to ensure more women are represented on public bodies, the new public appointments watchdog has said.

Judena Leslie was speaking to the BBC's The View programme, in her first interview since taking over the post of commissioner for public appointments.

Only a third of government appointees to public boards in Northern Ireland are women.

She said government departments must do more to promote women in public life.

"I'd like to see departments setting targets of 50% - why not? Of course 50%," Ms Leslie said.

"Fifty per cent of the population is female. We need to look at where we are and how we can realistically achieve that . But yes (50 per cent) should be the end game."

'Too slow'

Northern Ireland has about 1,400 public appointments, ranging from unpaid boards of further education colleges to many high profile paid positions.

Women, ethnic minorities and people with a disability are all under-represented on public bodies.

Thirty-three per cent of appointees are women, 2% are people with a disability and 1% are under the age of 30 or come from ethnic minorities.

Ms Leslie said: "The criticism is correct, it is too slow. The figures if anything are going backwards in some areas. We just do not have diverse representation on our public boards."

The former commissioner for public appointments, John Keanie, said he was disappointed that the Northern Ireland Executive was not doing more to deal with a perception that board positions are for "an elite".

Mr Keanie left the job a year early, over what he saw as little visible progress made by the government in implementing 26 recommendations he made to improve diversity.

A spokesperson for Northern Ireland's Office of the First and Deputy First Minister said: "Of the 26 recommendations, 11 were deemed to be already actioned or achievable in the short-term, and these have all now been achieved.

"Public appointments is an important issue for everyone concerned and we take it very seriously."

According to the new commissioner, First Minister Peter Robinson and Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness should make a joint public declaration supporting greater diversity.

Ms Leslie said: "I would like the first minister and the deputy first minister to say out clearly that they favour and support and will promote an increased representation of women in decision making roles.

"And in this instance, that means more chairs of public boards and more women on public boards."