Aengus Ó Snodaigh (Dublin South Central, Sinn Fein)
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Question 84: To ask the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Innovation the action being taken to close Ireland's gender pay gap, which currently stands at more than 17%; the consultations he has had with employers groups in respect of gender pay gaps; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19066/10]

Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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The gender pay gap (defined as the difference between men's and women's average gross hourly earnings as a percentage of men's average gross hourly earnings) was estimated by EUROSTAT in 2007 at 17.6% on average in the EU. It exceeded 25% in two countries (Estonia and Austria) and 20% in seven countries (Slovakia, the Netherlands, the Czech Republic, Cyprus, Germany, the United Kingdom and Greece). The gender pay gap in Ireland was estimated at 17.1%.

A significant body of legislation has been developed at national level to combat discrimination and guarantee equal treatment. In addition, a large number of non-legislative measures and initiatives have helped to promote equality between women and men in all areas. The Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform is responsible for the provision of the legal framework that provides for equal treatment of women and men.

Addressing the factors behind the gender pay gap is a multi-faceted task involving a number of Government Departments and agencies as outlined in the National Women's Strategy, 2007-2016. The development and implementation of the gender equality focused initiatives identified in the National Women's Strategy envisages, inter alia, actions by the social partners to encourage greater numbers of women to advance to the higher levels within their chosen careers through training and cost effective reviews of equality policies within organisations; as well as continuing research and exploration of the causes of the gender pay gap in order to reduce it further. Overall coordination of the National Women's Strategy is led by the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform.