Gender Pay Gap

Gender Pay Gap 2023

The results of the University’s Gender Pay Gap Report 2023 analysis remain an issue of ongoing concern and priority focus in terms of addressing the imbalance that exists. We have undertaken a detailed assessment and analysis to better understand the multiple causes of the gender pay gap and to determine the necessary actions in response, which are the responsibility of us all at the University.

Our University has had a difficult history in gender equality, the legacy of which we still confront today.

The results are a matter of profound disappointment and frustration to Údarás na hOllscoile - our Governing Authority, our University Management Team and to our University community more generally.

Our analysis shows women are over-represented in all pay bands bar the upper quartile, where there are more men employed in senior roles than women. This remains a key factor in the profile of gender pay gap. The Gender Pay Gap analysis suggests that even though the current initiatives and interventions to progress gender equality are slightly improving the gap, we are not achieving the impact at the pace which we would like or would have expected. 

We are looking at radical, meaningful ways to address the Gender Pay Gap, including through positive action. A working group under the University Management Team has been established to directly respond to the challenges.

We are determined to work with colleagues throughout our community to ensure that all institutional policies, practices and procedures bring about greater fairness and equality.

The issue of gender equality matters to us and to our university community and we are committed to doing better.

Our response will be guided by Government, including the Second Review of Gender Equality in Higher Education.

Some highlights of the University’s action to date, include:

• Recognition under the Athena Swan initiative which has seen the University secure a renewed Bronze Award at an institutional level, while also receiving individual bronze awards in 11 of our Schools and one silver award for the School of Engineering in 2022.
• During the period 2016-2022, the proportion of women at the Personal Professor grade increased from 16% to 33%.
• Funding from the Higher Education Authority for a three-year programme of work on equality, diversity and inclusion.
• The University is lead partner in a national research project to better understand the underlying reasons for such gender pay disparity. We are mindful of the opportunity that this brings for a sector wide analysis of the key drivers of the gender pay gap, differentiation within the sector and the potential to model effective interventions to ascertain what measures are most constructive and impactful in addressing it.

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An tOllamh / Professor Ciarán Ó hÓgartaigh