Female labor force participation rates in Ireland
Ireland: Female labor force participation rates was 59.76 in 2025. ▲ Rising
Latest (2025)
59.76
Change on year
down 0.1%
World rank
51st
of 186 countries
All-time high
60.16
in 2023
All-time low
41.72
in 1990
Years of data
36
1990–2025
Female labor force participation rates in Ireland, 1990–2025
Source: Our World in Data.
Analysis
The most recent figure for female labor force participation rates in Ireland is 59.76, measured in 2025.
The figure is down 0.1% on the previous year and up 9.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, female labor force participation rates in Ireland peaked at 60.16 in 2023 and was at its lowest, 41.72, in 1990.
Ireland ranks 51st of 186 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.
Female labor force participation rates in Ireland, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 41.72 | — |
| 1991 | 42.45 | +1.8% |
| 1992 | 42.89 | +1.0% |
| 1993 | 44.31 | +3.3% |
| 1994 | 45.28 | +2.2% |
| 1995 | 46.3 | +2.3% |
| 1996 | 48.15 | +4.0% |
| 1997 | 48.34 | +0.4% |
| 1998 | 49.77 | +3.0% |
| 1999 | 50.81 | +2.1% |
| 2000 | 51.94 | +2.2% |
| 2001 | 52.42 | +0.9% |
| 2002 | 53.12 | +1.3% |
| 2003 | 53.23 | +0.2% |
| 2004 | 53.32 | +0.2% |
| 2005 | 54.98 | +3.1% |
| 2006 | 55.73 | +1.4% |
| 2007 | 56.97 | +2.2% |
| 2008 | 56.83 | -0.2% |
| 2009 | 56.1 | -1.3% |
| 2010 | 55.25 | -1.5% |
| 2011 | 54.93 | -0.6% |
| 2012 | 54.72 | -0.4% |
| 2013 | 55.23 | +0.9% |
| 2014 | 54.88 | -0.6% |
| 2015 | 54.81 | -0.1% |
| 2016 | 55.53 | +1.3% |
| 2017 | 55.59 | +0.1% |
| 2018 | 56 | +0.7% |
| 2019 | 56.21 | +0.4% |
| 2020 | 55.05 | -2.0% |
| 2021 | 57.85 | +5.1% |
| 2022 | 59.11 | +2.2% |
| 2023 | 60.16 | +1.8% |
| 2024 | 59.84 | -0.5% |
| 2025 | 59.76 | -0.1% |
Ireland compared with similar countries
- Ireland's 59.76 is above the median for high income countries, which is 55.09, 1.1× the median. (62 countries reporting)
- Ireland's 59.76 is above the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 54.59, 1.1× the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 46 | 41.72 | 50.81 | 10 |
| 2000s | 54.46 | 51.94 | 56.97 | 10 |
| 2010s | 55.31 | 54.72 | 56.21 | 10 |
| 2020s | 58.63 | 55.05 | 60.16 | 6 |
Countries ranked near Ireland
- 48 Azerbaijan 60.76 compare
- 49 Guinea-Bissau 60.29 compare
- 50 Canada 60.2 compare
- 52 Cote d'Ivoire 59.45 compare
- 53 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 59.22 compare
- 54 China 59.15 compare
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 rates in Ireland?
- Female labor force participation rates in Ireland was 59.76 in 2025, according to Our World in Data.
- What is the highest female labor force participation rates recorded in Ireland?
- The highest recorded value was 60.16 in 2023.
- What is the lowest female labor force participation rates recorded in Ireland?
- The lowest recorded value was 41.72 in 1990.
- How does Ireland rank for female labor force participation rates?
- Ireland ranks 51st out of 186 countries with data for 2025.
- Is female labor force participation rates rising or falling in Ireland?
- Over the last ten years it is up 9.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Ireland data come from?
- The figures come from Our World in Data, published as part of Female labor force participation rates. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 36 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).