Direct Request (CEACR) - adopted 2010, published 100th ILC session (2011)

Equal Remuneration Convention, 1951 (No. 100) - Ireland (Ratification: 1974)

The Committee notes with regret that the Government’s report has not been received. It hopes that a report will be supplied for examination by the Committee at its next session and that it will contain full information on the matters raised in its previous direct request, which read as follows:

Assessment of the gender pay gap. The Committee notes from the results of the National Employment Survey 2003 and 2006 that the overall gender pay gap (hourly earnings) narrowed from 15.8 per cent to 11.5 per cent. However, the Committee also notes that in 2006, men earned more than women in all economic sectors. In some sectors the gender pay gap increased, for instance in health from 21 per cent to 29 per cent and in education from 28.3 per cent to 32 per cent, while it decreased in others. The Committee also notes the analysis of the gender pay gap set out in the National Women’s Strategy 2007–16 and the specific action envisaged under the Strategy to address it. The Committee asks the Government to continue to provide information, including statistical information on the gender pay gap and on its assessment of its evolution. The Government is also asked to continue to provide information on the progress made in implementing the measures to promote equal pay for men and women envisaged under the National Women’s Strategy.

Article 1(a) of the Convention. Bonuses. The Committee notes from the National Women’s Strategy that according to recent research, women receive bonuses less often than men and that the bonuses received by women tend to be lower than men’s. The research estimates that differentials in the payment of bonuses increase the annual gender pay gap by 1 per cent. The Committee asks the Government to indicate any measures taken or envisaged in order to examine this issue further and to address directly or indirectly discriminatory practices in respect of payment of bonuses.

Article 2(a). Laws and regulations. The Committee notes from the Government’s report that the Equality Authority highlighted the need to further develop the equality legislation with regard to equal pay, particularly in relation to requirements for employers to provide the necessary information. The Committee asks the Government to indicate the measures taken or envisaged to follow up on this recommendation.

Equality reviews under the Employment Equality Act. The Committee notes from the Government’s report that the Equality Review and Action Plan Scheme (ERAP) run by the Equality Authority requires equality auditors to examine matters impacting on the gender pay gap of the enterprise reviewed, such as the grading structure, promotion procedures, training and work–life balance. Noting that there are plans under the National Women’s Strategy to have equality reviews to “consider and report on the gender pay gap”, the Committee asks the Government to provide information on the measures taken to strengthen the equality reviews with a view to making them an effective tool to address gender pay gaps at the enterprise level. Please also indicate whether any action plan adopted as a result of equality reviews contains specific action in this regard and whether such action plans have led to the correction of gender wage gaps.

Article 3. Objective job evaluation. In reply to the Committee’s previous comments, the Government indicated that objective job evaluations tend to be undertaken only by the equality officers, in the context of an equal pay case brought before the Equality Tribunal. The Committee hopes that the Government, in cooperation with the social partners, will take active steps to promote the development and use, at the enterprise level, of objective job evaluation methods that are free from gender bias as a means to determine remuneration in accordance with the principle of equal remuneration for men and women for work of equal value. Please indicate any measures taken or envisaged in this regard.