Irish women expect to earn 17 per cent less than men, according to a new survey released ahead of a change in the laws on pay equality.
New European Union (EU) regulations due to come into force in June will force businesses to publish details on differences in pay between men and women.
Irish men typically expect to earn €64,000 a-year against €53,000 for women, a gap of 17 per cent, according to a study by one-line recruiter, Irishjobs.
The survey showed that Irish male professionals generally earned around €55,000 last year, more than the €44,000 paid to their women colleagues.
Last year the average pay rise for men was 6.5 per cent, while women had their earnings increased by 5.4 per cent.
Almost eight out of 10 men are happy with their pay, compared with 71 per cent of women.
Around two out of three men feel confident about seeking pay hikes while just 47 per cent of women do so, the study showed.
Irishjobs publishes the figures as employers prepare for the EU Pay Transparency Directive to become law in June.
The new rules aim to ensure equal pay for equal work, according to the recruitment company.
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They will require employers to publish salary ranges for job adverts and report regularly on gender pay gaps in their organisations.
The study’s findings are based on an analysis of 1.3 million job adverts in the Republic along with a survey of 479 recruiters and 670 job candidates.
Only 38 per cent of job adverts show salary ranges, with transparency highest among large businesses.
The labour market here remains “highly competitive” with employers grappling skills shortages, rising pay hopes and changing worker demands, said Christopher Paye, country director of Irishjobs’ parent, The StepStone Group.
“In this evolving environment, clear insights on pay and compensation are essential for understanding how candidates are navigating the jobs market – and how employers can attract and retain high-calibre talent,” he added.
Paye argued that the survey showed employers needed to address the lingering cultural and structural barriers that create gender pay gaps.
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When women are not confident about their value, that reinforces existing labour market inequalities, he maintained.
Employers now have an opportunity to increase transparency on pay with the new EU rules on the horizon, according to Paye.
“From publishing salary ranges to regular pay equity audits, the system will provide a comprehensive range of measures that empower candidates, support fairer negotiations, and help close the confidence gap that contributes to gender pay disparities,” he said.