Gender pay gap amendment to be tabled by Government within fortnight

New laws will require companies to report on the pay differences between female and male employees.

Labour Senator Ivana Bacik criticised the Government for its slow progress on issued of gender disparity. Photo: Gareth Chaney/Collins

New laws requiring companies to report on the pay differences between female and male employees, including any bonuses, are to be prioritised by the Government.

The Children's Minister is to bring forward amendments to the Gender Pay Gap Information Bill 2019 in the coming fortnight and has promised to move as quickly as possible to bring it into law.

"I am committed to enabling the enactment of this Bill as early as possible and will seek to do so after the Easter recess. I view the Bill as a priority so it will languish no more," Roderic O'Gorman told the Seanad.

It comes as the Minister was questioned by Labour party senators who have launched a Working for Women manifesto containing more than 40 proposals, including the provision of free contraception, increased parental leave and measures to tackle the gender pay gap.

For #InternationalWomensDay @labour has launched its Women’s Manifesto @hoeyannie talks the meaning of #WomensDay pic.twitter.com/X0SOZVAAfy

— Kevin O'Mahony (@Kev_OMahony) March 8, 2021

Senator Ivana Bacik, who has campaigned on this issue for many years, said the Government should urgently act to pass the Labour gender pay gap bill which is currently at Committee stage in the Dáil.

“Every year, November 9, marks Equal Pay Day, recognising that Ireland’s gender pay gap of 14.4% effectively means women work for free for the rest of the year. Put another way, women stop getting paid at around 4pm every day.

“Another year has passed, and despite many commitments, the Government’s Gender Pay Gap Information Bill still hasn’t progressed any further in the Dáil which is disappointing but not surprising," she said.

This morning on #IWD2021, @marie_sherlock and I requested an update from Government on legislation to tackle the #GenderPayGap @Labour – glad to hear action being taken on this by Gov in next 2 weeks #ChoosetoChallenge #FutureisFeminist pic.twitter.com/lp1Q8IYAAe

— Ivana Bacik (@ivanabacik) March 8, 2021

Mr O'Gorman told the Dáil that as the minister with responsibility for gender equality, he is "very conscious" of the importance of the gender pay gap as a metric of women’s economic empowerment relative to men’s.

"It illustrates the degree to which women’s hourly pay, on average, is lower than men’s during their working lives, with implications for their risk of poverty, including in later life."

He added that women are over-represented in the sectors which have been badly affected by Coivid-19 and are experiencing greater conflict between working and their family lives.

He said the Programme for Government commits to legislate to require publication of the gender pay gap in companies and the public service.

"The aim of the Government’s Gender Pay Gap Information Bill is to provide transparency on the gender pay gap and incentivise employers to take measures to address the issue insofar as they can."

Mr O'Gorman said: "I intend to bring legislative amendments to Cabinet in the next fortnight which will allow the Bill to progress to Report Stage."