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NEW FIGURES RELEASED by the Central Statistics Office (CSO) show that there are twice as many women in employment today than there were in 1998.
The office published the findings as part of its Women in the Labour Market study which looked at 2023 and 2024.
Among the most striking data obtained is the doubling of the number of women in the workforce; there were 641,800 women employed in Ireland in 1998, which leaped to 1,210,600 in 2024, an increase of 104%.
Taking into account a 48% growth in Ireland’s population since 1998, these figures suggest a considerable improvement in female representation in the workplace.
The quarterly estimates are designed to compare the progress made by women in the job market over time with regard to employment numbers and earnings.
Colin Hanley, a statistician at the CSO, puts the numbers down to several trends, particularly the decrease in women who work as homemakers.
“Since 2010, the number of women reporting their principal economic status as ‘engaged in home duties’ has fallen by 60%, from 520,500 to 208,200,” he said.
The figures indicate that women have made significant strides in the labour market since the turn of the century, particularly over the past decade.
Employment
“More than six in ten (62.6%) females in employment hold a third-level degree, compared with 50.7% of males, while the number of women working at least sometimes from home has also surged by 121.1% in five years, compared with a 68.8% increase for men,” Hanley said.
Women have also been found to have increased their representation at board level within Irish businesses, accounting for a fifth of CEOs in 2024 versus just 11.5% five years previous.
Also last year, 42% of full-time employees were female (919,000) while women made up 67% of part-time workers.
The sector of the economy with the lowest numbers of females is construction, with 10% of jobs occupied by women.
However, the statistics still show a large rise in female representation in the sector – numbers have tripled since 2014.
Earnings
Women’s median weekly wages are up 33% since 2013, rising from €469.74 to now stand at €623.22.
Meanwhile, a greater number of women are in receipt of pay at the lower end of average wage distribution in the country in comparison to male counterparts – a third of female employees earned below €450 versus one fifth of men.
The jobs where women boast the highest weekly earnings is the information and communications sector – the median weekly wage was calculated at €1,157.11 in 2023 which is 64% higher than the 2013 figure of €705.72.
The accommodation and food services sector is where women consistently earn the least with median weekly earnings amounting to €315.74 in 2023, though this is 26% higher than in 2013.
The verdict?
Nikki Murran, director at Excel Recruitment, acknowledges that progress has been made, but says there is a “long road” to go.
Speaking on gender disparities with respect to representation and earnings, Murran said: “While we are witnessing more women moving into senior roles, the pace of change remains slow.”
She addressed the impact of external factors on women’s professional lives. “Work-life balance, long hours, and industry expectations continue to present challenges that disproportionately impact women’s career progression.”
Karen O’Flaherty, senior proposition executive at Royal London Ireland says the figures show a gradual drop in participation by women in the workforce from the age of 35 as a result of what she terms “caring responsibilities”.
“Career breaks and part-time work remain a reality for many women, whether due to childcare, eldercare, or other family commitments,” she said.
“While these choices are often necessary, they can have lasting financial consequences, impacting lifetime earnings, pension contributions, and overall financial independence in later years.”
O’Flaherty’s suggests bridging the gender gap in employment and earnings by doing these four things:
Without following these steps, O’Flaherty says, gender disparities will carry through to retirement and result in lower pensions than male counterparts.
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