Gender Stereotyping causes Pay Gap in Ireland

A European Commission Report entitled Equality between Men and W0men - 2009 found that the difference between average hourly pay for women and men in Ireland was 17.1 per cent in 2007. This was slightly below the EU average pay gap at 17.4 per cent. The pay gap means that Irish women are likely, in the longer term, to have inferior pensions. Also almost one third of Irish women (31 per cent) work part-time, four times higher than men. This may reflect a woman's own choice but the report indicates that a substantial number of women in Europe are obliged not to work or work part-time because of their family responsibilities. Click here to see Irish Times article on 4th March 2009.