Flanagan launches consultation on gender pay gap

Employers, trade unions, educational institutions and members of the public are to be invited to contribute to a public consultation on tackling the gender pay gap.

Justice Minister Charlie Flanagan said it represented “the first steps towards making the gender pay gap a thing of the past”.

The consultation will open for submissions on Monday, during which stakeholders will have six weeks to make a submission on what can be done to narrow the pay gap.

The process will take place in conjunction with the Department of Business, Enterprise and Innovation, which will coordinate engagement with the private sector, including wage surveys.

Mr Flanagan said: “The Government has made a strong commitment to advancing gender equality in Ireland in its Programme for Partnership Government and the National Strategy for Women and Girls 2017-2020. My priority is to ensure that we reduce Ireland’s gender pay gap.

“The Tanaiste’s Department will have its own announcements on this in due course, as this is a priority issue for this Government.”

Tánaiste and Jobs Minister Frances Fitzgerald said: “We need the hard data on what is happening in different sectors of the economy so as to influence individuals and employers in career choices, and I am working with my Department on developing the necessary evidence to support enterprise focussed initiatives in this area.”

Mr Flanagan concluded: “Narrowing the pay gap is in all our interests. We need to draw on the talents of our people to help us to steer a careful course through the challenges ahead.

“I believe that this consultation can equip us to develop robust policies in this area. Informed by this consultation, the Government envisions meeting with all of the key stakeholders on the gender pay gap in the Autumn.”