Mary White (Fianna Fail)

I call for a debate on equality in the workplace in light of yesterday's ruling by the European Court of Justice. As reported in The Irish Times and the Irish Independent, this ruling stated length of service is a good enough reason to pay one employee more than another, even if they are doing the same job. In practice, women who take time off to care for their children can end up earning thousands of euro less than their colleagues when they return to work. Too often women are held back in their careers because they rightly put the care of their children first. I will publish in autumn my report on a new approach to child care which highlights the importance of parental involvement in early childhood care. I suggest several ways to help balance work with family life.