Sorca Clarke (Longford-Westmeath, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I move amendment No. 91:

In page 69, between lines 26 and 27, to insert the following: “Equal Pay for Equal Work

34. The Principal Act is amended by the insertion of the following section after section 114:

“Equal Pay for Equal Work

114A. RTÉ shall ensure that no worker is paid more for the same amount and form of work to produce content in the English language as a worker is paid to produce content in the Irish language.”.

The amendment pertains to what many see as a particularly gross and offensive situation that has been allowed to develop. In many ways it meets the definition of "discrimination". Workers at Raidió na Gaeltachta are being paid up to 25% less than their counterparts in English at RTÉ Radio for the same work. This cannot be allowed to continue. I understand that the committee has tried to raise this matter directly with RTÉ but has yet to receive any form of a proposed solution. It is quite disgraceful that despite this specific injustice having been raised, no solution or offer of a solution has come. Deputy Munster raised the matter back in January when RTÉ was undertaking a review into different pay grades and representatives from RTÉ said they would not examine the difference in pay based on working in Irish or English. It is frankly appalling that this has been allowed drag on. It is a basic matter of workers' rights and the equality of workers who work in Irish, which in reality often involves more work than those operating through the English language. Irish language reporters may have to translate items or prepare and support interviewees with little Irish, while competing with an English language service that often has more traction, investment and resources. Effectively, the Irish language reporters are doing more work than their English language counterparts but are getting less pay. This sends a stark message to those who would like to work through the Irish language that they will be valued less and that Irish is not seen as a skill but as a burden. All Irish language workers could do their work through English as well, meaning that they are more skilled than their counterparts. Instead of being rewarded for that additional skill and the additional work, they are penalised for it. If we are serious about attracting young people into careers that involve the Irish language, this fundamental issue needs to be addressed and resolved. Regardless of what language a journalist is working in, the quality of their work should determine their rate of pay. There should be nothing controversial about the amendment. It is a basic workers' rights issue and it is one we have an opportunity to fix. We have an opportunity to make sure this does not happen to anybody else working in this area, be it in the Irish language or English.