Female staff in the Department of the Taoiseach earn €12,000 less a year on average than their male counterparts.

Documents released under the Freedom of Information Act show a large pay gap within the Department.

It has led to calls for Enda Kenny’s Department to regularly publish what it pays male and female employees.

Orla O’Connor, Director of the National Women’s Council, says the situation isn’t acceptable: "It’s not surprising we know there is a gender pay gap in the public and the private sector.

"I think it is very interesting in terms of the statistics because there is a majority of female employees within the department and yet we are seeing this pay gap.

"And very much the pay gap is about, I would imagine it is about seniority the fact that there are more men in leadership positions within the department of the Taoiseach and within those pay grades."