A ‘STRENGTHENED’ GENDER pay gap Bill will be brought before Cabinet in January, Minister for Equality Roderic O’Gorman has said. 

The Gender Pay Gap Information Bill 2019 will require organisations to report on the pay differences between female and male employees, including any bonuses.

The requirement will initially apply to organisations with 250 or more employees but will extend over time to organisations with 50 or more employees. Organisations will be able to indicate the reasons for any gender pay differentials that are reported.

The Bill was originally published in April 2019, lapsing with the dissolution of the Dáil in 2020, before being restored to the Order Paper earlier this year. 

Minister O’Gorman will now seek Cabinet approval in January to strengthen the Bill, including amendments that ensure the Bill applies to all public bodies and government departments, and strengthening the enforcement mechanisms in the Bill. 

“We need legislation that contributes to a fairer economy and ensures that we are continuing to close the gender pay gap. There should be nowhere to hide for any organisation that pays women less than men,” Minister O’Gorman said.

“We need to gain an accurate understanding of the gender pay gap to help address the root causes of the gender pay disparity between men and women. This Bill, once implemented, will bring us another step forward in achieving a more equal society for everyone.”