Oireachtas Joint and Select Committees

Wednesday, 21 November 2018

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality

General Scheme of the Gender Pay Gap Information Bill: Discussion

9:00 am

Photo of Caoimhghín Ó CaoláinCaoimhghín Ó Caoláin (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

Today's engagement is to conduct pre-legislative scrutiny of the general scheme of the gender pay gap information Bill. From the National Women's Council of Ireland we are joined by Ms Orla O'Connor, director, and Ms Denise Roche, legal and policy advisor. From the Irish Congress of Trade Unions we are joined by Mr. David Joyce, equality and international development officer, Ms Marie Sherlock, an economist with SIPTU, and Ms Geraldine O'Brien, assistant secretary general of Fórsa. From the Irish Business and Employers Confederation we are joined by Ms Nicola Harkin, employment law solicitor, and Dr. Kara McGann, senior labour market policy executive. The deputations have colleagues in the Visitors' Gallery and they are all welcome too.

Shortly, I will invite those of you who have drawn the short straw to make your opening statements. Before I do that I must draw the attention of our witnesses to the situation on privilege. Please note that you are protected by absolute privilege in respect of the evidence you are to give to the committee. However, if you are directed by the committee to cease giving evidence on a particular matter and you continue to so do, you are entitled thereafter only to a qualified privilege in respect of your evidence. You are directed that only evidence connected with the subject matter of these proceedings is to be given and you are asked to respect the parliamentary practice to the effect that, where possible, you should not criticise or make charges against any person, persons or entity by name or in such a way as to make him, her or it identifiable.

Members of the committee should be aware that under the Salient Rulings of the Chair they should not comment on, criticise or make charges against a person outside the House or an official by name or in such a way as to make him or her identifiable.

I will invite Ms O'Connor to speak first, followed by Mr. Joyce and Ms Harkin, if I am right in identifying the three opening speakers.

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