Irish women earn less than males after motherhood, report finds

Irish women start out earning more than their male counterparts, but less after motherhood, according to an OECD report.

The incomes of Irish women here take a bigger hit once they become mothers than in any other European country, the report stated.

It also shows that Irish women are far more likely to withdraw from the workforce than women in other countries.

The chief executive of Dublin Chamber of Commerce Gina Quinn said that she does not believe women are choosing to give up their jobs lightly.

"We have a very, very high level of participation of women in the workforce generally here in Ireland," she said.

"I suspect it's actually been driven by economic factors - the sheer balance between the cost of childcare, the cost of mortgages [and] the return from the working environment."