Ms Ethel Buckley:

Okay. On recommendation 35 on collective bargaining, SIPTU's view is that if Ireland is truly to tackle gender equality, the recommendation in respect of collective bargaining is a really key recommendation from the citizens' assembly. Collective bargaining is the key instrument to raise wage floors and to improve working conditions. Women workers in particular benefit from collective bargaining coverage, especially sectoral collective bargaining coverage. I draw the committee's attention to a recent example of a very successful and wide-scale sectoral collective bargaining as a result of the unionisation by SIPTU of the early years education and care sector and a recent new first pay deal which came into effect on 15 September for childcare workers, 98% of whom are women. Some 27,000 workers got a new pay deal and 70% received a pay increase. It is at that scale and that level of sectoral bargaining that we will really see an impact on the gender pay gap.

As regards flexible working, recommendation 36, the trade union movement has campaigned vigorously over many years for a statutory right to access remote working. I wish to draw the committee's attention to some recent concerning research from UCD on the gendered aspects of home working and remote working. There was a marked gendered differential on the intensification of work between women and men and the stress women and men feel when they are working from home. This is something we really need to watch. The other thing SIPTU is concerned about is the impact on women's career progression if they are not present in the workplace. Finally, interestingly though hardly surprising, the research from UCD also showed that where a union was recognised by management for the purpose of representing employees, working at home was less likely to be associated with work intensification.

I thank committee members for listening to our opening statement and we are very happy to take their questions.