How Unequal? Men and Women in the Irish Labour Market

It is now 25 years since the first anti-discrimination legislation in Ireland. But men continue, on average, to earn a higher wage than women in the Irish labour market. How big is this pay gap? Does it reflect discrimination in employment, or problems faced by women in staying in the labour market? What policies will help to ensure equality of opportunity between the sexes? These are among the central questions addressed in How Unequal? The authors draw on nationwide household surveys to shed new light on these issues. The results show that womens wages have risen relative to mens. The analysis calls into question some widely held views on the size and nature of the wage gap. Family-friendly employment policies and statistical monitoring of labour market outcomes are seen as the most effective policies for ensuring equality of opportunity.