asked the Minister for Industry and Commerce if he will state, in view of the Government's declared intention to adhere to the Treaty of Rome, including its clauses covering equal pay for equal work for men and women, whether it is Government policy to support wage increase recommendations such as that recently made by the Labour Court which perpetuates and increases the differential between wages of male and female workers; and if he will make a comprehensive statement on the steps which the Government have under consideration for implementing the equal pay clauses of the Rome Treaty either before or after Ireland's proposed entry to the EEC.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Wages of Male and Female Workers.
30.
The Deputy is aware of the reasons why the Labour Court, on 21st April, 1966, issued the document entitled "Guide Lines for the Negotiation of Claims concerning Wages and Conditions of Employment". The reasons are stated in the text of the document. The Deputy is also familiar with the statement issued by the Government on 26th April, 1966, concerning the terms of the Labour Court document.
The Deputy will appreciate that in the circumstances surrounding the issue of the Labour Court's guide lines and the Government's statement, it would not have been appropriate for the Government to isolate the issue of equal pay for men and women and to deal with it in the statement by way of a declaration of Government policy in this matter.
Article 119 of the Treaty establishing the European Economic Community deals with the principle of equal remuneration for equal work as between men and women workers. The Article states that equal remuneration without discrimination based on sex means—
(a) that remuneration for the same work at piece-rates shall be calculated on the basis of the same unit of measurement, and
(b) that remuneration for work at time-rates shall be the same for the same job.
In adhering to the Treaty, the Government would be required to ensure and subsequently maintain the application of the principle of equal remuneration for equal work as between men and women workers. It would be the policy of the Government to face up to the requirements of Article 119, but our obligations in detail would depend on the position in the European Economic Community at the time of our accession and the transitional arrangements made in our case. The Treaty provided for a four year transitional period for Article 119 and this period has been extended. The indications have been that while progress has been made, the Member States of the Community have been finding it very difficult to achieve the objectives of Article 119.
We shall surely have difficulties, too.
Would the Minister state if it is the Government's intention to ratify the ILO recommendation on equal pay for equal work?
That is a separate question.
Surely it is connected directly?