asked the Minister for Labour his policy in regard to the EEC draft directive which aims to secure equal access for women to employment, vocational training, promotion and proper working conditions.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Employment of Women.
3.
At the outset of the Irish Presidency, as President of the Social Affairs Council, I indicated that the adoption by the Community of proposals to secure equality of treatment for women in employment, training, promotion and working conditions would be a priority. I am making arrangements to have the directive put on the agenda of our Council in June with a view to having it adopted. The draft directive is at present being considered by the European Parliament and the Economic and Social Committee.
Would the Minister consider having the draft directive discussed in his own national Parliament?
I am bringing in legislation covering this area.
Before or after?
Before.
Is the Minister aware that there are various directives and we have to take them or leave them? We would like to discuss them before decisions are made on them.
The subject matter of this directive will, I hope, be the subject matter of domestic legislation before this directive comes into operation.
So, statements other Ministers have been making in respect of other directives, which have not been discussed here, and on which nobody was allowed to make contributions or suggestions, are not correct?
We cannot extend the question that far.
We decided to have legislation in this area long before the matter was taken up at Community level. At Community level we have also carried on that policy. As a result of the emphasis the Irish delegation put on this matter, it will be on the agenda of the Council meeting of the EEC in June. This does not take away from our previous decision to proceed with domestic legislation in this area.
I take it the Minister is also replying to Question No. 5.
We have not come to that yet.
I accept that. Is the Minister saying we will have that legislation in this House before the June meeting?
That would be my intention.
4.
asked the Minister for Labour if it is the Government's intention to secure equal pay for equal work for women by the end of this year; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
The answer is in the affirmative. The evidence of the Government's intention is in the Anti-Discrimination (Pay) Act, 1974, which will come into operation on 31st December, 1975, and which establishes the legal right to equal pay where women are doing like work with men. The Act also provides the machinery through which a woman who has been denied her legal entitlement to equal pay may secure a remedy.
The Deputy will be aware of the provisions in the national agreements of 1972 and 1974, which were designed to achieve progress towards equal pay by narrowing or eliminating the differences in the rates of pay of men and women engaged on like work. The Government, as an employer, have implemented these provisions of the national agreements and arrangements have been made by which equal pay will be fully implemented for employees in the public service by the end of this year in accordance with the Anti-Discrimination (Pay) Act, 1974. Employees in the private sector will equally be afforded their legal right to equal pay under the Act.
Is the Minister aware of the advertisements which appeared in the papers this week for careers in the public service? While equal minimum salary scales were announced for men and women, equal maximum scales were not announced. Would he like to comment on that?
The provisions to which I have referred apply from January of next year. Where the provisions of the Act apply, as they would apply in the case mentioned by the Deputy, it will not be possible to insert such an advertisement in the public Press after January of next year.
The minimum salary scales are equal and the maximum salary scales are not for appointments in 1975. Would the Minister not agree that this is a strange course for the Government to adopt in relation to the maximum salary scale in view of the fact that equal pay should be implemented by 31st December of this year?
The Government have not dragged their feet in this area. In fact, we have gone ahead of the recommendations referred to in official reports. We have advanced the date of the implementation for equal pay in the State by two years in contrast with the date referred to in the Report of the Commission on the Status of Women. One of the notable areas of reform of this Administration is in the treatment of women.
Is the Minister aware——
We cannot remain unduly long on any given question. A final supplementary, Deputy Fitzgerald.
Questions on the status of women are important enough to merit some time being given to them.
All questions are important.
Some more than others. Surely the Government should be setting a headline in this regard. We are talking about a maximum salary scale which will obviously have to refer to a date——
This is leading to argument.
No, it is not.
The Chair must be allowed to govern Question Time.
I am asking the Minister would he not agree that to advertise positions with a maximum salary scale which obviously will not become operational until after 31st December is not a good headline for the Government to set?
The Deputy knows as well as I do that there is a date for the implementation of the Act and that is not until January of next year.
Question No. 5.
I accept that, but the maximum rate for these appointments probably will not apply until far beyond January, 1975. Is this not a bad headline for the Government to be setting in the public service for industry generally?
The Deputy is repeating himself.
Arising out of the Minister's reply——
I have called the next question.
I have not asked any supplementary question yet.
I appreciate that but, even so, I would be very grateful to Deputies if the House were allowed to proceed with questions.
I want to ask just one supplementary. The Minister indicated he would bring in additional legislation to protect women dismissed as a result of an equal pay claim where they had no rights with regard to re-employment. Will the Minister bring in this legislation prior to the coming into operation of the Act?
I would hope that in the next session later this year we would have the legislation on that, yes.
5.
asked the Minister for Labour if he intends to initiate legislation to guarantee the provision of equal opportunity and promotion for women in employment; and, if so, when.
As mentioned by me in the course of my speech on the Estimates for my Department in May, 1973, it is my intention to introduce legislation to deal with discrimination against women in the selection of workers for industry and of their advancement. The proposals for this legislation which will complement the Anti-Discrimination (Pay) Act, already on the Statute Book, have now reached an advanced stage of preparation in my Department and I intend to introduce the Bill in the Dáil during this session.
Is it hoped to have this legislation through both Houses during the current session?
Yes, as I indicated already to Deputy Callanan, who raised the subject matter of that question earlier, that would be my intention. That will be my aim at any rate.