Skip to main content
Normal View

Legislative Process

Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 19 January 2022

Wednesday, 19 January 2022

Questions (1124)

Ivana Bacik

Question:

1124. Deputy Ivana Bacik asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth when the Gender Pay Gap Information Act 2021 will be commenced. [2165/22]

View answer

Written answers

The Gender Pay Gap Information Act 2021 was signed into law on 13th July 2021. The Act requires the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth to make Regulations, requiring employers to publish:

- The mean and median hourly wage gap, the former reflecting the entire pay range in an organisation and the latter excluding the impact of unusually high earners. 

- Data on bonus pay. 

- The mean and median pay gaps for part-time employees and for employees on temporary contracts. 

- The proportions of male and female employees in the lower, lower middle, upper middle and upper quartile pay bands.

The Regulations will also require employers to publish a statement setting out, in the employers opinion, the reasons for the gender pay gap in their company and what measures are being taken or proposed to be taken by the employer to eliminate or reduce that pay gap.

The reporting requirement will initially apply to organisations with 250 or more employees but will extend over time to organisations with 50 or more employees.  Organisations will be required to indicate the reasons for any gender pay differentials that are reported.

Regulations implementing the Gender Pay Gap Information Act 2021 are currently being developed and it is anticipated these will be finalised and published in early 2022. The Act will be commenced once the Regulations have been published.  It is further anticipated that reporting by organisations with +250 employees will also commence in 2022.

This Department is also developing an information campaign for employers which will complement the regulations. The information campaign will set out the benefits of the reporting requirements and give information to employers on fulfilling these requirements.  

Top
Share