The most recent statistics for gross earnings and hours of work of industrial workers (adult rates) indicate that the average female hourly earnings in manufacturing industry is approximately 70 per cent of average male hourly earnings.
As I indicated in my reply to a previous Dáil question from Deputy Máirín Quill on 4 March the existence of such a gap between the earnings of female and male workers in industrial employment indicates the persistence of inequalities between men and women in this employment area. Factors contributing to this gap include not only differing occupation patterns as between men and women but also differing work organisation patterns, and remuneration systems.
While this disparity in earnings is a problem in manufacturing industry the extent of any disparity in male/female earnings for other sectors is not as clear. Fortunately research on this has been commissioned jointly by the former Department of Labour and Employment Equality Agency which the ESRI are expected to complete in the next few months.