Proposals under the revised Croke Park Agreement discriminate against women and families according to an independent audit of the deal. The audit found that the longer hours that form part of the deal will disproportionately and negatively affect women.

It was carried out by independent equality expert Niall Crowley. He says if the deal is implemented, women will be forced out of work.

"What we see I suppose in terms of the proposals in relation to work sharing and in relation to flexible working arrangements, is that they appear to press at a diminution in terms of access to and availability of those arrangements" he said.

"That will hit women disproportionately and could ultimately force women from the public sector" he added.

The audit found that Croke Park propsals "hold a potential to have a disproportionate and negative impact on women employed in the public sector". It says this is because "women shoulder the bulk of caring responsibilities in the home, whether of children or of friends or of family members with long-term illness, health problems or a disability".

Men & the family status

It also believes men with home responsibilities could be affected as well, saying "some men take on caring responsibilities and the same proposals hold a potential to disadvantage men with caring responsibilities who avail of flexible working/work-sharing arrangements".

More generally the document says the proposals "discriminate on the family status ground because they will disproportionately disadvantage men and women with caring responsibilities in the public sector".

Alison O'Connell is an executive council member of the Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation (INMO) and a job-sharing nurse at the Midlands Regional Hospital in Portlaoise.

She says the revised Croke park deal is extremely regressive.