asked the Minister for Finance if he has considered the Report of the Commission on the Status of Women; and the action the Government propose to take to implement their recommendations.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Status of Women.
15.
The Deputy will be aware that some recommendations in the report are being implemented at present. For example, the first phase of equal pay was provided for in the national agreement, 1972, and is being introduced generally, legislation to abolish the marriage bar in the Civil Service will be introduced in the near future and improvements in the areas of taxation and social welfare were announced in my budget statement. The other recommendations in the report are being examined by the various Departments concerned and the Government will consider the position generally when this examination is completed.
Is the legislation in connection with the marriage bar likely to be introduced in this session?
I am hopeful it will be.
In this respect, could the Minister immediately, without legislation, make sure that advertisements for jobs in the public service will not specify men or women for such jobs?
The problem is a difficult one. While we are in the transitional period I can see it causing a certain amount of offence and annoyance. The phasing out of the differentials which operated against women is something which will be done over a period of years, as indeed is visualised in the Report of the Commission on the Status of Women. Pending this phasing out which will be done on the State side in line with what was recommended by the Labour Court and in accordance with what may be agreed in national pay agreements and in co-operation with the Employer/Labour Conference, one hopes we will see a lessening of the differentials.
That is not exactly what I asked. At the moment, advertisements appear for vacancies in the public service stating that they might be filled by men or women regardless of pay rates, but it is specified that only men need apply or only women need apply. Can that not be done away with immediately?
I suggest this is something which we can go into when we are discussing the Bill which will remove the marriage bar. It will be seen it is not something that can be done instantly. In the first instance, a large number of these differentials will require legislation to abolish them, but in so far as legislation is not required the Deputy may be assured that the Government will do their best to remove them.
Will the Minister consider setting up a watchdog committee to ensure the implementation of this report as in the case of the Devlin Commission on the Public Service?
There is in the Labour Court a rights commissioner who has now a particular responsibility in this field and I would say it is best left there. The extraordinary thing is that very few cases have been referred to him for consideration. There have been one or two recently but I think the present arrangements for supervising this much needed change are adequate. If we get any evidence to the contrary we will look at it.
My supplementary refers to the report in its wider context rather than in relation to rates of pay. There are many other recommendations in the Report of the Commission on the Status of Women and in that context would the Minister consider setting up a watchdog committee?
Mr. Ryan
The Deputy may rest assured that a watch will be kept on the situation; whether it will be a watchdog committee or in some other form I do not know. We certainly do not exclude that possibility.
Would the Minister not agree that a rights commissioner would be more likely to react to a complaint brought before him whereas a watchdog committee would be able to pay attention at all times if women were being deprived of their rights through any changes in the law and that the watchdog committee, if necessary, could bring any complaints to the rights commissioner? On that basis would the Minister not consider the setting up of a watchdog committee initially?
I have said I would not exclude the possibility but I think Deputies should be confident that women will look after themselves and that they do not necessarily require external supervision. I do not make light of the problem and the House may be assured that we will keep every watch on the situation.