WHEN IT COMES to gender equality in the workplace, Ireland is above the EU average, coming in 9th place, according to a new index by the European Institute for Gender Equality (EIGE).

When it comes to health, the index found that men and women are equal in Ireland taking the top spot in the EU.

We are in 8th position in relation to money, 11th on knowledge and 5th when it comes to time.

However, Ireland featured further down the list when it came to equal power between men and women, coming in 19th place – below the EU average.

The results show there is a need for more work on “women and decision-making,” says Minister of State, Kathleen Lynch.

While the Equality Minister acknowledged that Ireland performs poorly on decision-making, she noted that while women are under-represented on corporate boards (a measure in the index) they occupy over a third of all positions on State boards, which was not included in the index.

Minister Lynch delivered one of the keynote addresses at the index launch in Brussels, joining the President of the European Council, Herman Van Rompuy.

The full Gender Equality Index for Europe report, which took nearly three years to complete, is available at EIGE.

Read: Government told to alter ‘women in the home’ clause>
More: Gender diversity on boards improving, say women directors>

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