The Minimum Wage and the Gender Pay Gap in Ireland and the European Union: Legal, Economic, and Policy Dimensions

This article examines the interaction between statutory minimum wage policy and the gender pay gap in Ireland and the European Union, arguing that these two domains of labour regulation are more deeply interconnected than is often acknowledged. While minimum wage law traditionally aims to ensure a basic floor of income and prevent exploitation, its distributive effects are inherently gendered: women are disproportionately represented in low-paid, part-time, and precarious sectors where statutory wage floors have their greatest impact. Drawing on national data from the Central Statistics Office, sectoral reports, and government publications, the article situates Ireland’s relatively high minimum wage within a broader European context and evaluates its role in shaping gendered patterns of earnings. The analysis further considers the legal framework governing pay equality, including Article 157 TFEU, the Employment Equality Acts, and the EU Pay Transparency Directive (EU) 2023/970. These instruments impose obligations on employers to disclose pay information, justify disparities, and conduct pay assessments where necessary. Through examination of key jurisprudence - such as Defrenne, Bilka, Enderby, and the Irish case Reid v Teagasc - the article assesses how courts have interpreted “like work,” indirect discrimination, and the evidential burdens associated with pay claims. The article argues that minimum wage policy and pay transparency mechanisms can operate synergistically to reduce gender pay disparities, but also identifies structural tensions that require careful regulatory design. It concludes with policy recommendations emphasising stronger enforcement, improved data quality, and gender-sensitive wage-setting processes. Together, these measures offer a coherent pathway towards a more equitable and legally robust approach to pay fairness.