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Equality Issues

Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 20 July 2016

Wednesday, 20 July 2016

Questions (445)

Catherine Connolly

Question:

445. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation the initiatives in place to assist women in the workforce given that more than 70% of those on minimum wage here are women; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [23117/16]

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Written answers

Women’s participation in the labour force has been on a long-term upward trend in Ireland. For example, the participation rate for women in the prime working-age group – aged 25-54 – rose from 67% in 2003 to 73% in 2015.

The upward trend was halted for a period by the sharp recession Ireland experienced between 2008 and 2012, but has resumed in years 2012-2015.

Ireland has also successfully secured ESF funding support for a programme, entitled "Gender Equality: Women Returning to the Workforce and Women's Entrepreneurship". The objective of the measure is to offer women the opportunity to acquire a range of skills through training which will enable them to return to the labour market or to support their entrepreneurial capabilities - which in turn will support job creation.

The government expects women’s participation to go on rising, and converging towards the EU average.

Addressing the under representation of female-led businesses that start a business and achieve considerable scale, requires a tailored, focused approach in terms of support, personal development and networking opportunities. Enterprise Ireland Female Entrepreneurship Unit was established to support ambitious women grow scalable businesses and to address the key challenges impacting on the growth of female led business opportunities. The strategy focuses on a number of initiatives which include:

Enterprise Ireland co-funding a number of key specific tailored development programmes to support ambitious women optimise their business success. These include:

- Going for Growth

- NDRC Female Founders

- DCU Ryan Academy

- CIT Rubicon Cork

- Sponsorship of women in business awards to identify and promote role models:

- Business Networking for Women Across Ireland

- Image Business Award

The signing into law of an Employment Regulation Order (ERO) for the Contract Cleaning Sector which covers about 30,000 workers, the majority of whom are women, provided for a new single wage rate of €9.75 per hour from October 1, 2015. This was €1.15 per hour higher than the national minimum wage at that time. Since January 1st last, when the national minimum wage increased to €9.15 per hour, the minimum rate applicable to workers in the Contract Cleaning Sector is still 60 cents higher.

As the Deputy is aware, the Low Pay Commission presented its first report in July 2015 in which it recommended an increase of 50 cents per hour to the minimum hourly rate bringing it to €9.15. That increase came into effect on 1st January last. The Commission presented its second report before the statutory deadline of 19th July 2016, which, in line with the practice established last year, was presented to Cabinet yesterday and published immediately thereafter. The recommendation that the minimum hourly rate for an experienced adult worker be increased by 10 cents to €9.25 will be considered by Government in the context of Budget 2017.

Given the preponderance of women on the national minimum wage and in order to obtain a better understanding of the composition and profile of this group and the underlying causality, the Commission has been asked to examine this issue and report its views as to the underlying reasons for this position and make any recommendations it considers appropriate. The Commission is due to report on this by end of October this year.

There is also a range of employment rights and equality legislation that greatly assist women in the workforce and ensure they are protected and treated equally whether they are full-time, part-time or temporary employees.

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