Female labor force participation rate: 1980 vs. 2025 in Ireland
Ireland: Female labor force participation rate: 1980 vs. 2025 was 61.3% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Female labor force participation rate: 1980 vs. 2025 in Ireland, 1961–2025
Source: Labour Force Statistics, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
Ireland recorded 61.3% for female labor force participation rate: 1980 vs. 2025 in 2025. That is the highest value across all 49 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 0.7% on the previous year and up 11.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, female labor force participation rate: 1980 vs. 2025 in Ireland peaked at 61.3% in 2025 and was at its lowest, 28.2%, in 1971.
Ireland ranks 50th of 194 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 49 years of available data.
Female labor force participation rate: 1980 vs. 2025 in Ireland, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 29.7% | — |
| 1966 | 29.4% | -1.0% |
| 1971 | 28.2% | -4.2% |
| 1975 | 29.8% | +5.7% |
| 1977 | 28.2% | -5.3% |
| 1981 | 29.7% | +5.5% |
| 1983 | 34.2% | +15.0% |
| 1984 | 33.5% | -2.1% |
| 1985 | 33.3% | -0.6% |
| 1986 | 33.8% | +1.6% |
| 1987 | 34.9% | +3.1% |
| 1988 | 34.4% | -1.5% |
| 1989 | 34.6% | +0.6% |
| 1990 | 35.4% | +2.3% |
| 1991 | 36.0% | +1.9% |
| 1992 | 36.8% | +2.1% |
| 1993 | 38.6% | +4.7% |
| 1994 | 39.5% | +2.4% |
| 1995 | 39.9% | +1.1% |
| 1996 | 41.5% | +4.0% |
| 1997 | 42.7% | +2.7% |
| 1998 | 43.9% | +3.0% |
| 1999 | 45.9% | +4.5% |
| 2000 | 47.2% | +2.7% |
| 2001 | 47.6% | +0.9% |
| 2002 | 48.8% | +2.6% |
| 2003 | 49.1% | +0.7% |
| 2004 | 49.4% | +0.6% |
| 2005 | 51.4% | +4.0% |
| 2006 | 52.6% | +2.3% |
| 2007 | 57.0% | +8.3% |
| 2008 | 56.8% | -0.3% |
| 2009 | 56.1% | -1.3% |
| 2010 | 55.3% | -1.5% |
| 2011 | 55.0% | -0.5% |
| 2012 | 54.8% | -0.4% |
| 2013 | 55.3% | +0.9% |
| 2014 | 54.9% | -0.6% |
| 2015 | 54.9% | -0.1% |
| 2016 | 55.6% | +1.3% |
| 2017 | 55.6% | +0.1% |
| 2018 | 56.0% | +0.7% |
| 2019 | 56.2% | +0.4% |
| 2020 | 55.1% | -2.0% |
| 2021 | 58.0% | +5.3% |
| 2022 | 59.4% | +2.4% |
| 2023 | 60.6% | +2.0% |
| 2024 | 60.9% | +0.5% |
| 2025 | 61.3% | +0.7% |
Ireland compared with similar countries
- Ireland's 61.3% is above the median for high income countries, which is 57.2%, 1.1× the median. (79 countries reporting)
- Ireland's 61.3% is above the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 56.9%, 1.1× the median. (53 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 29.6% | 29.4% | 29.7% | 2 |
| 1970s | 28.7% | 28.2% | 29.8% | 3 |
| 1980s | 33.6% | 29.7% | 34.9% | 8 |
| 1990s | 40.0% | 35.4% | 45.9% | 10 |
| 2000s | 51.6% | 47.2% | 57.0% | 10 |
| 2010s | 55.4% | 54.8% | 56.2% | 10 |
| 2020s | 59.2% | 55.1% | 61.3% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Ireland
More work & labour data for Ireland
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes, annual -0.4488 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male, annual growth -0.4574 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female, annual growth -0.4405 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population, annual growth rate -1.23 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population, annual growth rate 0.9335 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population 4,354 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population 1,447 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female 2,638 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male 2,649 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes 5,286 1000 No (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is female labor force participation rate: 1980 vs. 2025 in Ireland?
- Female labor force participation rate: 1980 vs. 2025 in Ireland was 61.3% in 2025, according to Labour Force Statistics, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest female labor force participation rate: 1980 vs. 2025 recorded in Ireland?
- The highest recorded value was 61.3% in 2025.
- What is the lowest female labor force participation rate: 1980 vs. 2025 recorded in Ireland?
- The lowest recorded value was 28.2% in 1971.
- How does Ireland rank for female labor force participation rate: 1980 vs. 2025?
- Ireland ranks 50th out of 194 countries with data for 2025.
- Is female labor force participation rate: 1980 vs. 2025 rising or falling in Ireland?
- Over the last ten years it is up 11.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Ireland data come from?
- The figures come from Labour Force Statistics, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Female labor force participation rate: 1980 vs. 2025. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 49 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Share of the female working-age population who are economically active (employed or unemployed). Figures refer to national estimates and may not be fully comparable across countries.