Press Statement from Frances Fitzgerald MEP
Wednesday 10th March 2021
Imminent Gender Pay Gap Bill means Ireland can lead Europe in closing the gender pay gap - Fitzgerald
Lets confine the gender pay gap to history
Frances Fitzgerald, MEP for Dublin and full member of the Women’s Rights and Gender Equality Committee, today (Wednesday) welcomed the announcement from Minister Roderic O’Gorman that he will bring forward the Gender Pay Gap Information Bill in two weeks. This follows the European Commission’s proposal for a Directive on pay transparency that was released last week.
“I warmly welcome the news that Minister O’Gorman will bring forward the Gender Pay Gap Information Bill within the next two weeks. Women in Ireland have put up with the gender pay gap for too long, and it is unacceptable that women continue to earn 86 cents for every Euro a man earns. It is time to confine the gender pay gap to history, once and for all”
Speaking in Dublin, MEP Fitzgerald commented, “The European Commission’s proposal on pay transparency sets a very good framework to tackle the gender pay gap, by ensuring that no employer has the right to ask for a pay history when someone applies for a job, and that a pay level or range should be available to a job applicant. Crucially, employers should make information on the pay gap between male and female workers available to all, and should a company have at least 250 employees, this data should be publically available. Critically, should a difference of 5% or more be found between pay for male and female employees doing the same work or work of equal value, the employer would be obligated to carry out a joint pay assessment to take action to rectify the problem and to report on that action’s effectiveness. The role of the social partners in making this Directive a reality is of course imperative.”
“I firmly believe that Ireland can lead the EU in closing the gender pay gap. With the swift adoption of the Gender Pay Gap Information Bill, we can demonstrate best practice in this area within the EU and can be a world leader in closing the gender pay gap. I urge all political parties to quickly get behind this bill and ensure quick implementation with the necessary supports for businesses to allow them to make those changes.”
“Action on the gender pay gap has long been a political priority for Fine Gael, and we sought to make that happen by introducing the Gender Pay Gap Information Bill 2019. While that lapsed with the last Oireachtas, I am delighted to see that the government is moving forward with its pledge in this area that was outlined in the Programme for Government.”
“Across Europe we have seen the essential nature of the work women do. 76% of healthcare workers are women, 93% of childcare workers are women, 95% of domestic cleaners are women, 86% of personal care workers are women, and 82% of cashiers are women. These women have carried us through this crisis: the least we can do is to pay them, and all women, what they are owed.”
ENDS
Notes to editors:
Proposal for binding pay transparency measures: Proposal for binding pay transparency measures | European Commission (europa.eu)
Press Release from the European Commission: Commission proposes measures to ensure equal pay (europa.eu)
Contact:
Una Clarke: Una.clarke@europarl.europa.eu
