Joint Committee on Gender Equality Meets Today
22nd September 2022
The Joint Committee on Gender Equality will meet on today, September 22nd to discuss the recommendations of the Citizens’ Assembly on Gender Equality regarding Pay and Workplace Conditions with representatives from ICTU.
The Committee will discuss recommendations 32-36 of the report:
Recommendation 32:
The State should set targets in legislation to reduce the hourly gender pay gap (currently 14%) to 9%43 by 2025 and to 4% by 2030 with a view to eliminating it by 2035.
Recommendation 33:
The Gender Pay Gap Information Bill should be enacted and implemented without delay. The law should include penalties for non-compliance and an obligation for annual reporting.
Recommendation 34:
Increase the minimum wage to align it with the living wage by 2025 while considering potential employment impacts on small businesses.
Recommendation 35:
Support employment contract security through:
(a) Establishing a legal right to collective bargaining to improve wages, working conditions and rights in all sectors.
(b) Increased resourcing of the Workplace Relations Commission for more effective enforcement of current employment laws.
Recommendation 36:
Introduce a statutory right to reasonable access to flexible working.
Committee Cathaoirleach Deputy Ivana Bacik said:
“We look forward to discussing recommendations relating to pay and workplace conditions particularly as we emerge from the pandemic and workplaces try to implement hybrid, flexible and remote working schemes.”
“In its report, the Citizens’ Assembly on Gender Equality recommended that the State should set targets in legislation to reduce the hourly gender pay gap from 14% to 9% by 2025 and to 4% by 2030 with a view to eliminating it by 2035.”
“The report also recommended that the Gender Pay Gap Information Bill should be enacted and implemented without delay and the new law should include penalties for non-compliance and an obligation for annual reporting.”
“We also look forward to discussing the recommendations relating to the pay gap, the minimum wage and the right to collective bargaining,” she said.
