asked the Minister for Labour if he will state, having regard to the practice in EEC countries of paying men and women equally for equal work, what steps are being taken by the Government to give practical application to the principle of equal pay for equal work in (a) the public sector and (b) the private sector; and the estimated annual cost of implementing the principle.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Equal Pay Principle.
31.
It has already been stated that this country, on entry to the EEC, is prepared to accept the aims of the Community as set out in the Treaty of Rome, including that relating to equal pay for the same work. The subject of the Deputy's question is one of the matters to be considered in this context and the practical application of the equal pay principle does not, therefore, arise at the present stage.
In the absence of detailed information on how precisely the equal pay principle would have to be applied after Ireland's entry to the Community it would not be possible to make any worthwhile estimates of the cost involved.