The Irish Congress of Trade Unions (ICTU) has welcomed the news that the Gender Pay Gap Information Bill is back on the agenda, following the Government’s announcement that amendments to the lapsed 2019 bill have been approved.

The original bill completed committee stage in July 2019, but following the 2020 general election has remained in a state of stasis.

The revised legislation will require organisations to report on the gender pay differentials in their organisations, setting out pay differences – including bonuses – between female and male employees.

The requirement will initially apply to organisations with 250 or more staff, but will extend to organisations with 50 or more employees over time. Organisations will be able to indicate the reasons for any gender pay differentials they report.

The newly-approved changes will see enhanced enforcement powers on gender pay gap reporting, by providing a more comprehensive definition of a public body to ensure that the provisions of the bill will apply to all public bodies.

The revised bill will also address enforcement issues, by giving expanded powers to the Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission (IHREC).

Ireland

Meanwhile, Eurostat has found that Ireland's gender pay gap fell 17.3% to 14.4% in the decade to 2017. That puts it below the EU average of 14.9%.

But women persistently earn less than men. Contributing factors include part-time work, gender segregation in the labour market, family-work life balance, and issues around power and influence amongst others.

While broadly welcoming the development, unions will be seeking additional enhancements. An ICTU spokesperson said they would be seeking a formal role for trade union involvement in compiling gender pay gap data and in negotiating action plans to tackle any gaps identified.

Fórsa’s equality officer Ashley Connelly agrees that unions need to have a formal role in the pay gap reporting process.

“With the increased challenges from Covid-19, there has never been a more important time for employers across Ireland to focus on addressing the barriers to women's and men's full and equal participation in the workplace. It is vital that we all take direct and proactive steps to make this a reality across society,” she said.

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For more information on the Gender Pay Gap in Ireland click HERE.