Thursday April 28th, 2015

The Irish Federation of University Teachers (IFUT) has called on the Minister for Education and Skills, Jan O’Sullivan to implement a recommendation from the European Commission of March 2015 to improve pay transparency for women and men in a bid to help close the gender pay gap. 

Joan Donegan, Deputy General Secretary of IFUT, said that the European Commission has estimated that, at the current rate of progress, equal pay will not be achieved until 2085.  

“In Ireland the pay gap is deteriorating, it was 14.4% in 2012 but has risen from 12.6% in 2009.  

“Member States including Ireland have to report to the European Commission by the end of this year on the actions they have taken on foot of this recommendation.”

Joan Donegan said that it is regrettable that a recent decision of the Equality Authority concerning equality issues in NUI Galway had to conclude: ‘perhaps the most significant frailty to the respondent’s (NUIG) rebuttal is the statistical evidence. Men are in the minority in the College Lecturer grade (40%) but, significantly, that statistic is almost inverted when it comes to the next promotional grade - 61% of Senior Lecturers are men.’

“The Minister for Education and Skills should at this stage make a clear and detailed public statement regarding the extent of the crisis at NUIG and set out clear actions to be taken, as requested by the European Commission,” Ms. Donegan said.

ENDS

For further information on this media release please contact:
John Gallagher. John Gallagher Consulting.  Tel. 087 9369888
Joan Donegan, Deputy Gen Sec, IFUT.   Tel. 087 1315960.