Marie Sherlock (Labour) | Oireachtas source

Every November we mark the gender pay gap in Ireland and across other European countries. The reality is that in Ireland, women workers on average earn almost a quarter less compared with their male counterparts. The latest available data is for 2020. We know that women, on average, earned 22% less on an annual basis. This is not the hourly basis that one often hears quoted; this is annual basis. Some 22% less is a shocking figure. That is in spite of significant growth in full-time female employment during the pandemic years of 2020 to 2022. We will see the legislation on gender pay gap reporting, which is very welcome, kicking in at the end of this year. However, it is important to note that is only one measure. Until we have proper collective bargaining rights in this country and proper transparency as to how jobs and promotions are advertised, we will not have any hope of trying to narrow that 22% figure.

The other issue I just want to briefly reference is regarding the disgraceful scenes that we have seen in East Wall over the past few days. It is important to say that from talking to people in East Wall, because I live not that far from it, many are very hurt that the name of their area has been dragged through the mud and they are being depicted as racist and anti-immigrant.The reality could not be more different.

There can be no excuse for protests. No matter what pressure there is on local services, there can never be an excuse to intimidate people or make them feel unwelcome. This is a co-ordinated effort on the part of certain individuals to try to rouse up a crowd outside of the old ESB building in East Wall. I support what Senators Hoey and Ruane spoke about earlier but it is important to say that there is an enormous strain in the north inner city, in that there is a massive shortage of services in health, education and early years services. The Government has to step up. As things are already under an enormous strain, the Government has to step up and put those services in place so that it does right by both the 380 individuals and families going into the old ESB building and everybody else in the community as well.