We need to close the gender pay gap

Sheila Nunan pleges to fight for pay equality at European Level.

Labour Ireland South European election candidate, Sheila Nunan, has hit out at Fine Gael for their lack of urgency in closing the gender pay gap.

Speaking ahead of the National Women’s Council of Ireland Hustings in Cork city this evening, Sheila Nunan said:

“Labour representatives in Ireland have been leading the charge in ending the gender pay gap. Rather than amend the Labour legislation that has been making serious headway through the Houses of the Oireachtas, Fine Gael have decided to go their own way and introduce their own legislation, which is unnecessary and time consuming. This is yet another roadblock to solving the pay gap problem.  

“Currently, the gender pay gap stands at 13.9%, and averages out at 16% across the European Union. More needs to be done to solve the gender pay gap at a European level and Labour MEPs would be perfectly placed to lead this charge.”

“We know that the gender pay gap is a very real and live issue for Irish women. Although women often have equally good or sometimes better qualifications than men, often their skills are not valued as highly as their male counterparts meaning career progression for women is often slow.”

“The gender pay gap is not only discriminatory, it will inevitably lead to a pension pay gap down the line for women.”

“Fine Gael are frustrating the process to help close the gap here in Ireland, and their European group, the EPP have done little to solve this Europe-wide problem over the last European Parliament term.”

“Unlike Fine Gael, Labour MEPs will take on this cause at a European level by proposing and supporting measures to close the gender pay gap and to ensure women receive equal pay for equal work, and equitable pensions, with specific measures to include a requirement for multi-national corporations to publish data on pay by gender and a directive to ensure people gain pension credits for time spent parenting.”