Over the past quarter-century, the landscape of Ireland’s labour market has undergone a remarkable transformation, particularly concerning women’s participation. According to the Central Statistics Office (CSO), the number of women in employment has more than doubled, rising from 641,800 in Q4 1998 to 1,310,600 in Q4 2024—a 104.2% increase.
Sectoral Representation
In Q4 2024, women’s representation was notably high in specific sectors:
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Human Health and Social Work: Women constituted 76.6% of the workforce.
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Education: Women made up 73.6% of employees.
These figures highlight the significant role women play in these essential services.
Earnings and Advancement
Financial metrics indicate progress, yet underscore ongoing challenges:
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Median Weekly Earnings: In 2023, women earned a median of €623.22 per week.
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Top Earners: Women represented 26.4% of the top 1% of earners in 2023, up from 21.4% in 2018.
This upward trend reflects improved access to higher-paying roles, though disparities remain.
Labour Force Participation
The World Bank’s Gender Data Portal reports that in 2023, the labour force participation rate was 59.9% for women and 70.4% for men in Ireland.
Challenges and Opportunities
Despite significant progress, challenges persist:
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Gender Pay Gap: In 2022, Ireland’s average gender pay gap was 9.3%.
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Underrepresentation in Leadership: Women remain underrepresented in senior management and executive positions.
Addressing these issues requires continued efforts to promote equity, support work-life balance, and challenge traditional gender roles.
The period from 2023 to 2024 has been pivotal for women in Ireland’s labour market. While substantial progress has been made, ongoing efforts are essential to achieve full gender parity and harness the potential of all members of society.
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Recruit.ie also organise Jobs Expo, Ireland’s leading jobs and employment fairs.
Take a look at upcoming Jobs Expos around Ireland.
What can you expect at Jobs Expo Cork?
- Employers actively recruiting for hundreds of jobs at home and abroad
- Specialised areas dedicated to jobs in particular industries
- The Career Clinic offering one-on-one CV, job seeking and career advice from professional career guidance counsellors
- A packed seminar timetable on important and topical issues by a range of industry experts
Career Clinic
The Career Clinic offers the chance for attendees to meet with professional development coaches. They can help candidates with crucial issues such as interview skills, CV presentation and changing career direction.
Agenda Stage
Jobs Expo’s Agenda Stage will host talks on a variety of topics including jobseeking skills such as using social media to land your dream job and interview techniques as well as a CV writing workshop. Other seminars include talks by industry insiders on a variety of career topics.