The gender gap between male and female employees was smaller in many candidate countries than it was in most current member-states, the EU Commissioner for Consumer Affairs, Mr David Byrne, told a National Forum on Europe meeting last night.
Speaking on the theme of "Women in an Enlarging Europe" in Liberty Hall, Dublin, the commissioner warned that using Nice as a protest vote would be a waste as it was not a vote on Europe's future.
Mr Byrne said normally when the topic of enlargement of the EU was raised, many people tended to focus on the advantage that EU membership would bring to the candidate countries. It might come as a surprise that the gender gap between male and female employees was smaller in many candidate countries than it was in most-member states.
"It will be interesting to note, after enlargement, whether there are lessons we can learn from our new partners to help address some of the residual inequalities," Mr Byrne said.
"Everyone, women and men, needs to play their part in creating a just, fair and equal society here in Ireland and elsewhere in the EU. Enlargement and the Treaty of Nice will greatly contribute to this ambition," he said.
Calling for a No vote in the referendum, Sinn Féin's equality spokeswoman, Ms Mary Lou McDonald, said the low level of women's participation in political decision-making processes and in public office in Ireland were reflected throughout the EU.
An EU that placed power in the hands of a core of powerful states could only serve to disadvantage those in the periphery, Ms McDonald said. Only by defending and developing an EU of equal states could they hope to empower communities and citizens. Only an EU which held equality as its guiding principle could hope to advance equality for women.
"A rejection of Nice is not a rejection of enlargement. A No vote is a vote for inclusivity, parity of esteem and democratic accountability," she said.
Ms Sinéad Tiernan of the European Trade Union Confederation called for a Yes vote. For women workers, there were benefits to be had from joining the EU, such as the assistance and technical expertise in rebuilding their economy, and legislation to protect them at work.
"Surely they deserve the same opportunities we have had in Ireland. We have benefited, Irish women have benefited and Ireland as a country has benefited from EU membership," she said.