Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 22 January 2025
1155. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth besides gender pay gap reporting, what steps his Department is taking to close the gender pay gap; and how his Department plans to ensure equal pay for equal work across all sectors. [46493/24]
View answer1159. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he can provide data on how the gender pay gap varies across different sectors, industries and levels of seniority. [46499/24]
View answer1160. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if there is a specific group in particular that faces the greatest gender pay disparities (for example, women with disabilities, migrant women, and LGBTQ+ persons). [46500/24]
View answer1161. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he plans on extending the reporting of gender pay gaps to smaller businesses. [46501/24]
View answer1164. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth how he plans to monitor and evaluate progress on gender pay equality; and what metrics will be used to measure success. [46504/24]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 1155, 1159, 1160, 1161 and 1164 together.
The Gender Pay Gap Information Act 2021 introduced the legislative basis for gender pay gap reporting in Ireland. The Act requires organisations to report on their hourly gender pay gap across a range of metrics, including mean hourly remuneration, median hourly remuneration, bonuses and benefit in kind, and employee quartiles.
Organisations must also publish a statement outlining the reasons for their gender pay gap (if any) and any measures that they are taking to reduce or eliminate the gap. Gender pay gap reporting aims to encourage organisations to reflect on the drivers behind their gender pay gaps and to identify actions to reduce or eliminate it. It also serves to inform Government policy.
In 2024, organisations with over 150 employees were required to report on their gender pay gap. In 2025, the Regulations will be revised to extend this obligation to organisations with over 50 employees.
An online reporting system is in development and will consist of a central portal where all employer reports must be uploaded. The portal will provide and allow for the comparison of data on how the gender pay gap varies across different sectors, industries, and levels of seniority.
The Gender Pay Gap Information Act 2021 provides the Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission with the power to make an application to the Circuit Court or to the High Court for the granting of an order requirement the employer concerned to comply with Regulations. The 2021 Act also provides that an employee who claims that his or her current employer has failed to comply with Regulations may refer their employer to the Director General of the Workplace Relations Commission. The Director General shall investigate the complaint if he or she is satisfied that there is prima facie case to warrant the investigation.
Further actions are being taken under the Pay Transparency Directive - Directive (EU) 2023/970 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 10 May 2023- to strengthen the application of the principle of equal pay for equal work or work of equal value between men and women through pay transparency and enforcement mechanisms. This Directive came into force in June 2023. Member States have three years from that date to transpose it into national law. The Gender Pay Gap Information Act 2021 already complies with the basic requirements of the Directive.
Department officials are currently examining the best approach to transpose other elements of this Directive into Irish law.
