Jen Cummins (Dublin South Central, Social Democrats)
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1841. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth her plans to eradicate the gender pay gap in pharmaceutical sector. [19361/25]

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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According to the latest Structure of Earnings Survey, which refers to the year 2022, the gender pay gap in Ireland was 9.6%.

The Government has taken a range of actions to reduce the gender pay gap. The Gender Pay Gap Information Act 2021 introduced the legislative basis for gender pay gap reporting in Ireland. The Act requires organisations to report on their hourly gender pay gap across a range of metrics.

Employers must also publish a statement outlining the reasons for their gender pay gap (if any) and any measures that they are taking to reduce or eliminate the gap.

In 2024, organisations with over 150 employees were required to report on their gender pay gap. In 2025, the Regulations will be revised to extend this obligation to organisations with over 50 employees.

An online reporting system is in development and will consist of a central portal where all employer reports must be uploaded. The portal will allow for the comparison of data on how the gender pay gap varies across different sectors and size of organisation. The data gathered by the portal may be used to develop targeted interventions for particular sectors. Initiatives have also been taken forward within the education sector, including during my time as Minister for Education, to promote greater participation by female students in STEM subjects. This is crucial to enabling women to access higher paid roles within the pharmaceutical sector.