Alan Farrell (Dublin Fingal, Fine Gael)
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304. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the detail of the ongoing work of his Department to tackle the gender pay gap; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16099/22]

Roderic O'Gorman (Dublin West, Green Party)
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Addressing the factors behind the gender pay gap has been a commitment of the outgoing National Strategy for Women and Girls 2017-2020. Tackling this issue contributes to equality and makes good business sense, as firms that can report a low or non-existent gender pay gap will have an advantage in recruiting and retaining 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.

The Programme for Government included a commitment to legislate to require publication of the gender pay gap in companies. The Gender Pay Gap Information Act 2021 which has now come into force aims to provide transparency on the gender pay gap and incentivise employers to take measures to address the issue insofar as they can.

Under Regulations implementing the Act, organisations are asked to select a ‘snapshot’ date in the month of June 2022 and those organisations having not less than 250 employees on that date will then have six months to prepare their calculations before reporting six months later, during December 2022. The Regulations also require employers to publish a statement setting out, in the employers’ opinion, the reasons for the gender pay gap in their company and what measures are being taken or proposed to be taken by the employer to eliminate or reduce that pay gap. My Department has issued guidance to employers on calculating their gender pay gaps. It is also continuing to engage with trade union and employer representative bodies in regard to the gender pay gap. Plans are also in place to develop an online reporting system for the 2023 reporting cycle.