Labor force, female (% of total labor force) in Ireland
Ireland: Labor force, female (% of total labor force) was 46.9% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Labor force, female in Ireland, 1990–2025
Source: International Labour Organization (ILO), type: estimates based on external database. Measured in % of total labor force.
Analysis
In 2025, labor force, female in Ireland stood at 46.9%. That is the highest value across all 36 years on record.
That represents a change of up 0.1% on the previous year and up 3.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, labor force, female in Ireland peaked at 46.9% in 2025 and was at its lowest, 35.1%, in 1990.
Ireland ranks 67th of 187 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 36 years of available data.
Labor force, female (% of total labor force) in Ireland, year by year
| Year | % of total labor force | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 35.1% | — |
| 1991 | 35.4% | +1.0% |
| 1992 | 36.2% | +2.2% |
| 1993 | 37.0% | +2.3% |
| 1994 | 37.6% | +1.4% |
| 1995 | 38.2% | +1.6% |
| 1996 | 38.9% | +2.0% |
| 1997 | 39.4% | +1.2% |
| 1998 | 40.0% | +1.4% |
| 1999 | 40.5% | +1.4% |
| 2000 | 41.0% | +1.1% |
| 2001 | 41.2% | +0.7% |
| 2002 | 41.8% | +1.4% |
| 2003 | 42.0% | +0.4% |
| 2004 | 41.9% | -0.1% |
| 2005 | 42.2% | +0.7% |
| 2006 | 42.4% | +0.4% |
| 2007 | 43.0% | +1.4% |
| 2008 | 43.5% | +1.1% |
| 2009 | 44.3% | +1.9% |
| 2010 | 44.8% | +1.1% |
| 2011 | 45.1% | +0.7% |
| 2012 | 45.2% | +0.3% |
| 2013 | 45.4% | +0.5% |
| 2014 | 45.3% | -0.2% |
| 2015 | 45.2% | -0.2% |
| 2016 | 45.5% | +0.7% |
| 2017 | 45.7% | +0.4% |
| 2018 | 45.9% | +0.3% |
| 2019 | 45.9% | +0.1% |
| 2020 | 45.9% | -0.1% |
| 2021 | 46.3% | +1.0% |
| 2022 | 46.7% | +0.7% |
| 2023 | 46.2% | -0.9% |
| 2024 | 46.8% | +1.2% |
| 2025 | 46.9% | +0.1% |
Ireland compared with similar countries
- Ireland's 46.9% is above the median for high income countries, which is 46.5%, 1.0× the median. (62 countries reporting)
- Ireland's 46.9% is below the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 47.1%, 100% of the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 37.8% | 35.1% | 40.5% | 10 |
| 2000s | 42.3% | 41.0% | 44.3% | 10 |
| 2010s | 45.4% | 44.8% | 45.9% | 10 |
| 2020s | 46.5% | 45.9% | 46.9% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Ireland
More education data for Ireland
- Teachers in secondary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 32,531 (2023)
- Repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes (number), gaps 1,942 (2022)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, male (number), gaps filled 52,745 (2022)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, female (number), gaps filled 49,975 (2022)
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 456,625 (2022)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 548,873 (2022)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate -1.49 % change on previous year (2022)
- Primary education, pupils, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2022)
- Primary education, pupils, per capita 0.1053 units per person (2022)
Frequently asked questions
- What is labor force, female in Ireland?
- Labor force, female in Ireland was 46.9% in 2025, according to International Labour Organization (ILO), type: estimates based on external database.
- What is the highest labor force, female recorded in Ireland?
- The highest recorded value was 46.9% in 2025.
- What is the lowest labor force, female recorded in Ireland?
- The lowest recorded value was 35.1% in 1990.
- How does Ireland rank for labor force, female?
- Ireland ranks 67th out of 187 countries with data for 2025.
- Is labor force, female rising or falling in Ireland?
- Over the last ten years it is up 3.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Ireland data come from?
- The figures come from International Labour Organization (ILO), type: estimates based on external database, published as part of Labor force, female (% of total labor force). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Female labor force as a percentage of the total show the extent to which women are active in the labor force. Labor force comprises people ages 15 and older who supply labor for the production of goods and services during a specified period.