Holly Cairns (Cork South West, Social Democrats)
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600. To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the progress in achieving Action 1.21 of the National Strategy for Women and Girls 2017-2020 to undertake a package of measures to tackle the gender pay gap; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36380/20]

Holly Cairns (Cork South West, Social Democrats)
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601. To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the details of progress in achieving Action 1.22 of the National Strategy for Women and Girls 2017-2020 (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36381/20]

Roderic O'Gorman (Dublin West, Green Party)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 600 and 601 together.

Addressing the factors behind the gender pay gap is a key commitment in the National Strategy for Women and Girls 2017-2020, and is a multi-faceted task involving a number of Government Departments and agencies. Tackling this issue is good for equality and it also makes good business sense, as firms that can report a low or non-existent gender pay gap will have an advantage in recruiting future employees. Initiatives to address the gender pay gap can also be expected to have a positive impact on disparities in income for women across and after their working lives.

A public consultation was undertaken on the matter in autumn 2017 on the gender pay gap and this attracted a good response, with some 38 submissions received from employers, unions, civil society, professional bodies and individuals from varied backgrounds. In January 2018, a symposium brought together over 130 participants including politicians, senior policymakers, business representatives, trades unions and academics. Consultations have taken place with ICTU and Ibec about the gender pay gap especially in the context of the Gender Pay Gap Information Bill and there will be further contact both in that context and more broadly in relation to this matter.

The Gender Pay Gap Information Bill 2019 was published on 8 April 2019 and the Bill completed Dáil Committee Stage in June 2019. The Bill has been reintroduced by the Government and Report Stage is currently awaited. The aim of the Bill is to provide transparency on the gender pay gap and incentivise employers to take measures to address the issue insofar as they can. Measures such as those included in the Bill have been taken in a number of other countries and, indeed, EU member states were encouraged to take such measures in an EU Commission Recommendation of 2014.