02/11/2018

Time For Govt To Act On Gender Pay Gap

Marking EU Equal Pay Day 2018, Labour has said that it is time for the Government to act on the Gender Pay Gap in Ireland.

Last month, the Seanad passed all stages of the Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission (Gender Pay Gap) Information Bill 2017, a Private Members Bill initiated by the Labour group in the Seanad.

This year, the EU Equal Pay Day falls on 3 November. It marks the moment when women symbolically stop getting paid compared to their male colleagues, with 16% of the working year remaining.

Making the call, Seanad Group Leader, Spokesperson on Communications, Climate Action and the Environment, Ivana Bacik, said: "The 'gender pay gap' is the term used to describe the difference between the pay of women and men calculated on the basis of the average difference in gross hourly earnings.

"In Ireland, women earn approximately 14% less than men, a figure equating to women in full-time employment working for free for about over one month in every year.

"Our legislation, which is a pay transparency Bill, aims to tackle this ongoing gender inequality head on.

"It has been estimated that despite changes in gender equality generally and progressive change for women's rights in Ireland over the past 11 years, the gender pay gap has narrowed only four percentage points.

"At current rates, the National Women's Council estimates it will take up to 170 years before it fully closes.

"We cannot wait that long, and the government should take the opportunity to now proceed with legislation. It would have been fitting and timely to have addressed the gender pay gap in the centenary year of 2018."


Related Irish News Stories
Click here for the latest headlines.

20 July 2015
Ibec Slams Proposals By The Low Pay Commission
Ibec has slammed plans by the Low Pay Commission for a 50c increase in the national minimum wage. The group, which represents Irish business, said the case is at odds with all the economic evidence. It also said the increase would heap pressure on companies still struggling to stay in business.
08 March 2019
Minister Mitchell O'Connor Stands By International Women's Day Comments
The Minister for Higher Education, Mary Mitchell O'Connor, has stood by comments she made about how just a small number of men have an interest in International Women's Day. Minister Mitchell O'Connor, said: "International Women's Day is important.
25 June 2015
Low Pay Commission 'Next Step' In Fair Pay For Workers - Labour
The Low Pay Commission represents the "next step" in fair pay for workers, Labour's Sean Kenny has said. Commenting on the the National Minimum Wage Act, Deputy Kenny said that the Low Pay Commission demonstrates the governments commitment to tackling low pay. "Low pay is not some abstract economic issue.
19 February 2014
St Vincent's Urge To Take Immediate Action On Public pay Rules
The board of St Vincent’s University Hospital must make an immediate statement on how it intends to bring itself into line with public pay rules, Public Accounts Committee member Simon Harris has said.
10 November 2015
Low Pay Commission To Assess Women's Pay
The Low Pay Commission is to assess the impact of the minimum wage among female workers, Minister for Business and Employment, Ged Nash, has announced. Welcoming the announcement, Labour TD for Waterford, Ciara Conway, said: "I would like to commend my colleague Minister Ged Nash for seriously addressing the issue of low pay among women workers.