IARNRÓD ÉIREANN’S GENDER Pay Gap data, published today under the Gender Pay Gap Information Act 2021, shows a gender pay gap of 6.32% for the mean hourly rate in favour of women.

In the report, the company highlights increased representation of women across all roles in the organisation as a key target, and acknowledges that as representation in operational roles across Train Operations and Infrastructure Management increases, the gender pay gap is likely to narrow in the years ahead.

Both public transport generally and railways specifically are historically male-dominated sectors, Iarnród Éireann has said and 11.2% of the company’s 4,231 employees were women on the reporting date (19 June 2022).

It aims to double this number by 2030.

Quartile reporting under the act shows lower representation of women in the lower (9.3%) and lower middle (5.1%) quartiles of the comapny, and higher in the upper middle (14.1%) and upper (16.4%) quartiles.

As 18% of the current workforce is expected to have retired over the next five years, Iarnród Éireann has stated that this is a unique opportunity to improve representation in roles such as driving, station, signalling, and engineering. 

 Iarnród Éireann Chief Executive Jim Meade said: “This essential Act has given us the opportunity to forensically investigate our commitment to our female employee base, analyse organisational trends and statistics, and identify areas for improvement.”

“Iarnród Éireann is on an ambitious journey to develop rail as the backbone of a sustainable transport system, and there can be no question that developing and championing our people is an essential part of our approach.

“Our people will better serve our customers and communities if we better reflect those customers and communities, which is why increased representation of women in our workforce is such a priority for Iarnród Éireann.”

The company has undertaken a range of initiatives to engage at second level with girls considering career choices including a ‘Try a Trade Programme’, which encourages girls and mixed schools to visit Inchicore Works’ apprentice workshops and “try a trade,” in many cases for the first time.