Women continue to earn almost one-fifth less than men, according to a report published by the Central Statistics Office.
The report, Women and Men in Ireland 2004, identifies significant discrepancies in wages and gender equality in the workforce and in education.
The average income for those liable for social insurance payments was €26,350 for men and €16,680 for women in 2002. When an adjustment is made for average hours worked per week (41 hours for men, 32 for women), women's incomes were 82.5 per cent of men's.
At the upper range of earnings, the differences were even greater. The number of men earning more than €50,000 a year was over 115,000 while just 25,000 women exceeded that amount.
The proportion of women at risk of poverty, after pensions and social transfers, was the highest in the EU - at 23 per cent - in 2001.
The figures also show that women are under-represented in the workforce. In the 55-64 age group, 64.7 per cent of men were employed, compared to 33.4 per cent of women.
In politics, women are similarly under-represented. Just 13.3 per cent of TDs in the Dáil were women, compared to the EU average of 22.1 per cent. In the Civil Service, just under 60 per cent of women were clerical officers, compared to 10 per cent at the more senior level of assistant secretary.
The employment rate for women aged 20-44 varied from 87.2 per cent for those with no children to 52.4 per cent among those whose youngest child was aged three or below.
The proportion of lone-parent families with children headed by women has increased substantially over the last decade. The figure was 87 per cent in 1995, but rose to 90.9 per cent by 2004.
In education, the early school-leaver rate was much higher for men (14.7 per cent) than for women (9.4 per cent). These were significantly better than the EU rates of 17.9 per cent for men and 14 per cent for women.
There were also stark divisions at third level. In engineering, 71 per cent of graduates were men, while 82 per cent of graduates in health and welfare were women.
In primary schools, women account for 86 per cent of primary school teachers but just 51 per cent of primary school management.
In health, men were more likely to die younger than women. The risk is almost three times greater in the 15-24 age group, reflecting higher suicide rates and motor vehicle accidents among young males.
The proportion of women undergoing preventive medical checks was much lower than the rate for their counterparts in other EU member-states.
Just over 16 per cent of Irish women above the age of 15 were given cervical smear tests, compared to 32 per cent across other EU states.
The report can be accessed on the Central Statistics Office website: www.cso.ie
Men and women in Ireland: the gender difference
Holders of full driving licence
Men 58.4%
Women 45.3%
Employed*
Men 74.7%
Women 55.3%
* % population aged between 15-64
Income*
Men €26,350
Women €16,680
* Average income liable for social insurance. Note: women, on average, work less hours
Prisoners*
Men 93.4%
Women 6.6%
* % among prison population, 2002
Poverty risk*
Men 20%
Women 23%
* After pensions and social transfers
Lone parents with children:
Men 9.1%
Women 90.9%
Life expectancy*
Men 75.1 years
Women 80.3 years
* 2001 figures
Looking after home/family*
Men 0.98%
Women 64.00%
* Based on numbers not in the labour force
Studying at third level
Men 5.2%
Women 13.3%
Recipients of carers' allowance
Men 19.9%
Women 80.1%