Roderic O'Gorman (Dublin West, Green Party) | Oireachtas source

As I said on Committee Stage and earlier, there will be a centralised website. That is the most appropriate way in which this information would be conveyed. Whereas I fully understand the proposal in the context of the lack of reference to a website in the primary legislation, I have a concern in regard to what Senator Bacik is seeking to achieve here. I am concerned that in putting in that provision, even if only permissive, it would take away from the importance of the centralised website as the go-to source for information on gender pay information. If we emphasise what companies put up on their own websites, there will be companies that do and others that do not. Those who do have websites and a good story to tell will make that story front and centre. They will do that irrespective of this legislation, but those who do not have a good story to tell will obviously bury the detail behind frequently asked questions or something like that, where it will not be very accessible. If we legislate that the centralised website is to be the go-to source for this particular piece of information, it will ensure that companies, whether their story is positive or negative, will be listed there and current and potential employees will go to that source. As stated by Senator Seery Kearney, the information there will become a key element in how we understand a company's compliance under a range of areas. We are doing work on that website. As I said, my Department will lead out in terms of the design and construction of the website.We have some further work to do in coming to a final decision regarding the compilation of the information but I believe that centralised website will become a valuable resource. It will be the tangible outcome of this legislation, once it is passed and we have had the opportunity to draft the regulations and draw up the tender documents for the development of the website.