asked the Minister for Finance which bodies will be invited to membership of the commission on women's rights; whether he can give an indication of the scope and duration of the commission; and whether the movement towards equal pay for equal work on the part of the Government will be continued concurrently with the work of the commission.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Women's Rights Commission.
66.
A decision on the setting up of a commission on the status of women in Irish society will be given by the Government at an early date. I am not, therefore, in a position at present to furnish the information sought in the first part of the question.
In regard to the final part, I presume the Deputy has in mind the agreement on pay in the public service reached last summer which did not differentiate between pay increases for men and women. While the extension of equal pay in the public service would, of course, be one of the major matters with which the commission would be concerned, its setting up would not preclude an arrangement on the lines of that agreement in the event of a further general pay revision.
Even though the announcement has yet to be made, would the Taoiseach agree that representative bodies, including large numbers of women trade unionists, and so on, should be invited to membership of this commission?
I do not want to speculate on membership of the committee. When the Taoiseach says he proposes to recommend something to the Government it is a fairly good indication that it will come to pass.
The remaining questions will appear on tomorrow's Order Paper.