Companies who fail to share gender pay gaps must face serious consequences – Byrne
27th January 2023 - Senator Maria Byrne
Irish companies who fail to publish information on gender pay gaps, as per a requirement which came into operation in May 2022, should face serious consequences, a Fine Gael Senator has said.
Fine Gael Seanad Spokesperson on Finance, Senator Maria Byrne, welcomed results published last month but maintained that a number of big corporates are failing to uphold their legal responsibility and didn’t share any information.
Senator Byrne said: “We have made meaningful progress on achieving parity in representation across businesses in this country. This new requirement is a crucial step towards closing the gap.
“By not engaging, these companies are completely undermining that work and resisting positive change.
“The Gender Pay Gap Information Act 2021 puts the onus on companies with over 250 employees to conduct gender pay disparity reports in an effort to offer full transparency and foster inclusive working environments.
“Early research from the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) yielded positive results and revealed that several big employers have reported a gender pay gap of zero or near zero per cent. However, non-engagement is a step backwards.
“Having holes in your report is one thing, not having any report at all is another. Research from the Irish Independent highlighted a lack of data for up to 100 firms. This is simply unacceptable.
“These companies, some of them large employers, missed the deadline and will be told to publish their reports via court orders and based on complaints to the Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission (IHREC).
“Going forward, it is fundamental that companies face drastic measures to discourage any further delays. It is not only our right to know but more importantly, it hinders progress,” concluded Senator Byrne
Senator Maria Byrne
Limerick CityMaria was elected to the Agricultural Panel of the 25th Seanad in April 2016. Currently Maria serves as Fine Gael…
Related news
Department of Sport dropped the ball with loss of major sporting event for Limerick - Byrne
The Minister for Sport must prioritise Ireland’s regions to make sure they don’t miss out on opportunities to host major…
16th April 2024Fianna Fáil convert to Fine Gael’s policies of putting money back in people’s pockets
The prospect of further tax cuts in Budget 2025 by Government parties is a welcome acceptance of Fine Gael’s key…
15th April 2024Time to split the VAT rate and protect our small businesses – Byrne
A tailored hospitality VAT rate is necessary to support small businesses disproportionately affected by an avalanche of cost increases, Fine…
2nd April 2024