In 2008, an ESRI/Equality Authority study found that there is a more equal division of labour in dual earner couples although women still do more unpaid work than their male partner and have a higher total workload than their male partner.

Two-thirds of Irish women were active in the workforce in 2007, which was the highest on record, according to new research. However, Ireland has one of the most gender-segregated workplaces in the EU.

The study by the ESRI and the Equality Authority, examined the patterns of female employment between 1998 and 2007. It found that women now represent 42 per cent of the Irish workforce compared to a figure of 37 per cent in 1998.

Factors lying behind this change include -

• Rising levels of educational qualifications for women;
• Demographic changes - primarily the increase in the number of women in the 25 to 34 age group, who have high participation rates;
• Rising real wages. Increases in wages were particularly important in increasing the incentives to participate for women with lower qualifications;
• An increase in demand for labour in the service sector and the public sector, including for many occupations that are 'female-typed' (i.e. jobs involving stereotypically female skills e.g. caring, interpersonal skills).

Participation increased among women with pre-school children from 54 to 60 per cent.

However, despite the rise in the number of women in the workforce, the study says Ireland remains one of the most gender- segregated countries in term of occupation groups in the EU.

According to the study, most of the increases in women’s employment took place in sectors traditionally occupied by women, such as childcare, teaching and the service industry.

Nevertheless, there was a large increase in the number of women working in the field of business and commerce - - rising from 37 to 43 per cent between 1998 and 2007.

The number of women working in managerial or executive posts increased from 37 to 43 per cent, while the Garda saw its female workforce increase from 8 to 19 per cent.

A Woman’s Place: Female Participation in the Irish Labour Market (should be available via this link on Friday).