More women in workplace ‘would create 65,000 jobs’

Improving women’s access to the labour market could create 65,000 jobs and also negate the need for over-65s to remain in the workforce, an economic research institute has found.

In An Overview of the Irish Labour Market, Rory O’Farrell of the Nevin Economic Research Institute finds that, like much of the rest of Europe, a gap in participation between the sexes begins to occur most frequently at age 30-34, typically coinciding with the birth of a first child.

“However, it is after the age of 35 that Ireland performs less well (for female participation) compared to the rest of Europe,” he said.