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1. Measures to assess and eliminate the gender pay gap. The Committee notes the report of the Consultative Group on Male/Female Wage Differentials submitted to the Government in November 2003, which contains a number of recommendations for action to be taken to address the remaining gender pay gap in Ireland. It notes that the Government has already implemented certain measures recommended in the report. For instance, the minimum wage has been increased with effect from 1 May 2005. Further, the National Employment Survey, introduced in 2003, includes gender disaggregated earnings data. The Committee also notes the research report entitled “Degrees of Equality: Gender Pay Differentials Among Recent Graduates” issued in 2005. This research concluded that while there is no overall hourly gender pay gap, a significant gap has emerged in the private sector only three years after graduation. Further, there was a continued need to address the “wage penalty around motherhood”, to focus on early career integration and career choices, as well as on action to address occupational segregation and organizational practices that negatively impact on equal pay. The Committee asks the Government to provide the following information with its next report:

(a)   the results of the National Employment Surveys concerning the earnings of men and women and the Government’s analysis of the progress made in eliminating the gender pay gap;

(b)   information on any further action taken to implement the recommendations of the 2003 report of the Consultative Group on Male/Female Wage Differentials, as well as any follow-up made to the research report on “Degrees of Equality: Gender Pay Differentials Among Recent Graduates”;

(c)   information on how equality reviews under the Employment Equality Act address equal pay issues and on the impact of such reviews at the enterprise level with regard to equal pay; and

(d)   information on the activities undertaken by the Equality Authority and the Equality Tribunal with regard to the principle of equal remuneration for men and women for work of equal value, including information concerning relevant jurisprudence.

2. Objective job evaluation. The Committee notes the information provided by the Government concerning objective job evaluation carried out by equality officers when dealing with equal pay cases under the Employment Equality Act. It also notes the Government’s indication that equality officers dealing with such cases receive a two-day training course in objective job evaluation. The Committee asks the Government to indicate the measures taken to promote the use of objective job evaluation methods by employers.

3. Occupational pension schemes. Recalling its previous comments concerning the application of the Convention’s principle in the context of occupational pension schemes, the Committee notes the Government’s indications that the Pensions Act has been amended in order to provide for the principle of equal treatment and to open the redress and enforcement mechanisms available under the Equal Employment Act to cases relating to equal pension treatment in occupational benefit schemes. The Committee asks the Government to provide information on any relevant cases concerning pension rights decided by the Equality Tribunal.