The CSO has reported a 60pc decline [1] 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 [2] 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.