Marie Sherlock (Labour) | Oireachtas source

I thank Mr. O'Connor, Ms Cox and our guests from Fórsa and IBEC for attending the meeting. I am interested in the concept of a four-day week especially in the context of female labour market participation. There is the issue of getting women into work but also that of keeping them there, given that, as we know, there is a significant and dramatic fall-off in women's participation after a particular age or because of certain care responsibilities in their lives. My other main interest relates to how a four-day week may mitigate the level of commuting in this country and reduce emissions. In some ways, the conversation is very timely. I wish the pilot programme all the best when it takes off next year.

I am conscious that Mr. O'Connor indicated that much of the research is based at the firm level at the moment as opposed to anything broader. In the context of the workplaces that have undertaken a four-day working week, what do we understand about female labour market participation? I refer to the issues of women going from part-time to full-time work and of whether more women want to join the organisations. Ms Cox might have a perspective on this as well. Based on the research Mr. O'Connor has seen, what insights can he give us?