Ireland Joins EPIC: Strengthening Global Efforts for Equal Pay

15 Oct 2025

In July 2025, Ireland officially joined the Equal Pay International Coalition (EPIC), marking a significant milestone in its commitment to closing the gender pay gap. The announcement was made at the G20 in South Africa.

The decision to join EPIC is an important step forward for Ireland as it reaffirms Ireland’s deep national commitment to equal pay for equal work - not merely as an aspiration, but as a fundamental human right. 

EPIC plays a vital role, as the only multi-stakeholder partnership operating across global, regional, and national levels to reduce the gender pay gap. As a proud new member, Ireland looks forward to contributing to EPIC’s achievements — through collaboration, shared learning, and the exchange of experiences. Ireland is equally eager to learn from fellow members, in the collective pursuit of the shared goal of equal pay for work of equal value.

Transformative Change over 50 years

Ireland remains steadfast in its commitment to this goal. Over the past five decades, the position of women in Irish society has changed fundamentally.

Until as recently as 1973, women in the public sector in Ireland were required to resign upon marriage, and until 1974, there was no legal foundation for equal pay between genders. Thankfully, things have changed since then.

Landmark legislative changes, introduced after Ireland became a member of the European Union, included the Employment Equality Act of 1977, which guarantees equal access and conditions in employment; the introduction of paid maternity leave in 1981; and the establishment of parental leave in 1998.

Building on these foundational reforms, Ireland has made remarkable progress. Since 1998, the number of women in the workforce has more than doubled, now exceeding 1.3 million. Over 60% of employed women hold third-level degrees, compared to just over 50% of men. Between 2013 and 2023, women’s median weekly earnings increased by 33%, outpacing the growth in men’s earnings.

Striving To Do More

While Ireland takes pride in the progress achieved over the past 50 years, there is still much work that remains to be done. To address this, Ireland has implemented a number of targeted policies and initiatives to drive further progress. These include:

  • Dedicated efforts to reduce the gender gap in the workforce - Pay equity is intrinsically linked to women’s economic empowerment. Since 2014, Ireland has successfully reduced the gender gap in workforce participation by 34%, thanks to focused policy efforts.
  • The Balance for Better Business Initiative - Ireland supports women’s economic empowerment through their equal representation in senior business roles and high-paying occupations. This initiative aims to achieve at least 40% female representation on boards and leadership teams across all company types by 2028.
  • Supporting the equal sharing of caregiving responsibilities and gender equality in the workforce – Challenging traditional gender norms is essential to encouraging men to avail of their leave entitlements and to share caregiving duties more equitably. In support of this, Ireland offers a comprehensive suite of statutory entitlements, including paternity leave, parent’s leave and carer’s leave.
  • The right to request remote and flexible work - In 2023, Ireland enshrined in law the right for all workers to request remote working, and for parents and carers to seek flexible arrangements, such as part-time work. These measures played a key role in driving recent record levels of female participation in the Irish labour force. As policymakers, Ireland must continue to prioritise these areas to further narrow the gender pay gap.
  • A focus on the gender pay gap - In 2023, Ireland’s gender pay gap reduced to 8.6%, with women making up almost one third of the top 10% of earners. Ireland remains fully committed to further progress, supported by the enactment of the Gender Pay Gap Information Act and full implementation of the EU Pay Transparency Directive.
  • National Minimum Wage and the Living Wage – Ireland has a statutory minimum wage which is set at €13.50 per hour. Next year this will increase to €14.15 per hour. As more National Minimum Wage workers tend to be predominantly female, increases are more beneficial to female workers. Ireland has also further committed to the introduction of a living wage by 2029.
  • The National Strategy for Women and Girls – This Strategy uses a whole of government policy framework to deliver targeted actions over defined timelines. Its aim is to ensure equal socio-economic opportunity for women, promote their wellbeing and empower them to participate fully as equal and active citizens. Work is currently underway on developing the next iteration of this Strategy. 

Through these initiatives, Ireland aims to bring lasting and transformative change for women in society. Ireland’s policy priorities are closely aligned with EPIC’s core objectives. Ireland is committed to both being a proactive contributor to global gender equality efforts and working together to dismantle the structural barriers that perpetuate inequality.