The CSO has reported a 60pc decline in the number of women “engaged in home duties” since 2010.

This comes despite an Iona Institute/Amarach poll last year showing that 69pc of mothers would prefer to stay at home with their children if they could.

Additionally, the State is bound to ensure mothers are not forced by “economic necessity” to work outside the home, with the electorate solidly opposing a referendum last year to delete that provision from the constitution.

The CSO figures are contained in the latest Women in the Labour Market 2023-2024 published last Friday.

A key finding is that women who reported their Principal Economic Status as “engaged in home duties” decreased by 60% from 520,500 in 2010 to 208,200 in 2024.