Jan O'Sullivan (Limerick City, Labour) | Oireachtas source

I also ask colleagues to support the Bill. There are approximately 140 Private Members Bills before this Chamber and I am not sure of the number in the Seanad. Overall if we add the two together there are probably about 200 Bills. This Bill is way ahead of other Bills as it has gone through one House of the Oireachtas already and is now being debated on Second Stage here. I urge the Minister of State to help us bring it to fruition.

The Government has spoken about doing its own thing on gender pay but this is an opportunity to make it happen quickly. It certainly cannot come quickly enough for the women in the workforce who are not being paid in accordance with equality. It is a fundamental equality issue for women in particular. The concept of equal pay for equal work goes right back and I campaigned on it in the 1970s and 1980s.

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