The gender pay gap in Ireland is currently 14.4%, which means that from this week women in Ireland effectively work for free for the remainder of the year. In 1975, Icelandic women went on strike to protest wage discrepancy. Some 90% of Iceland's female population did not go to their paid jobs and did not do any housework or child rearing for the day. Needless to say, Iceland's parliament passed a law guaranteeing equal pay soon afterwards. That was in 1975 and it is now 2020. Why are we so behind and what will the Government do to address this immediately?

We already have a law that requires equal pay for equal work. However, it is not as simple as that. Many women work in professions that were traditionally considered female professions and those professions have been less well paid historically than jobs that were traditionally seen to be male professions. It is the breadwinner model, as it is described. Why is a garda paid more than a nurse? I do not know. It is probably because of this tradition that one was seen to be a man's job and the other was seen to be a woman's job. That is not something that can be fixed quickly. However, we are going to act on it through legislation that is currently going through the Houses on the gender pay gap, which requires companies with more than 50 employees to report on gender pay, report on the gap, explain why there is a gap and to do something about it. It follows on from the legislation in Iceland. I do not know why it has not been done yet, as it should be done, but it is something we will try to get done by the first quarter of next year.

The Debenhams workers have shown incredible determination and courage. Their patience with what has happened to them is astounding. I also think they have shown leadership in trying to push this House to legislate as it should have done many years ago. It is time that the Tánaiste and the Taoiseach stepped up to the plate and showed leadership. This issue has been raised 17 times in the last week in the House - this is the 18th time - by many Deputies across all parties, even on the Government benches. It is time to answer the question. The Taoiseach gave a commitment in the recent past to Deputies Gino Kenny, Barry and Boyd Barrett that the Cabinet would discuss this issue. Has it discussed it this week and, if not, when will it discuss it? We are hurtling towards Christmas. Next Tuesday, the workers will be 222 days on strike and they will be outside the gates of Leinster House to plead with the leadership of this country to show equal leadership to what they have shown.

We have discussed it many times, although not at the Cabinet this week. The Taoiseach, the Ministers of State, Deputies English and Troy, and I have been involved in this. There has been a huge amount of engagement with Mandate, ICTU and, to the extent possible, with the liquidator. I have been in direct contact with Debenhams UK. We have done a lot to try to bring about a solution to this. Most recently, the Workplace Relations Commission, an office under my remit, brought together KPMG and Mandate to see if a solution could be brokered.

The fundamental problem is one that we cannot really get around. Debenhams Ireland went bust and, in doing so, left a lot of money owing to a lot of people, not just the workers but other businesses, the Revenue Commissioners and local authorities. There is not enough money left over to go around and to give everyone what they deserve. That is the truth of it. That is what happens in a liquidation process, unfortunately, and with every day that this goes on there is less money left in the pot because the liquidator has to pay for security and continue to pay rent.

At least try to get a resolution.