Ireland Launches Public Gender Pay Gap Portal; Gap Narrows to 8.3% in 2024

The Irish Government has officially launched the public interface of the Gender Pay Gap Portal, providing a platform for individuals to access, compare, and review employer data concerning gender pay disparities.

Since last year, all employers with over 50 employees have been mandated to publish their gender pay gap information on their respective websites. The Gender Pay Gap Portal itself was initially introduced in November 2025, allowing employers to voluntarily upload their gender pay gap reports. This reporting will become mandatory for the 2026 gender pay gap reporting cycle.

Ireland has seen a gradual reduction in its gender pay gap, decreasing from 14.4% in 2017 to a provisional figure of 8.3% in 2024. Minister for Children, Disability and Equality, Norma Foley, commented on the launch, stating, «The launch of the public side of the Gender Pay Gap Portal provides a clear and accessible way to view gender pay gap data. This will help to shine a light on pay disparities and support progress toward greater equality in the workforce.» Ms. Foley added that this publicly available information would encourage employers to fulfill their legal obligations regarding gender pay gap reporting and enhance understanding of how to eliminate the gap in Ireland.

Despite this progress, unions and employers have criticized the Government for delays in implementing the EU Pay Transparency Directive, which aims to combat pay discrimination and reduce the gender pay gap across the European Union. Ireland, along with most other EU member states, failed to meet the June 7 deadline for transposing the directive. The Government has indicated that the measures will be phased in and that employers will not face penalties for non-compliance during the interim period. The Department of Children, Disability and Equality confirmed ongoing work to develop the necessary legislation for transposing the remaining provisions of the directive and committed to collaborating with employers, employees, and their representatives to facilitate its implementation.