Ireland identified as having Europe’s widest digital skills gender gap. New ESRI and Block W research highlights structural barriers in the workplace.
Ireland has the largest gender gap in the use of advanced digital skills in the European workforce, according to new research published by the Economic and Social Research Institute in partnership with the Block W initiative.
The findings, released to coincide with the International Day of Women and Girls in Science, show that men in Ireland are more than twice as likely as women to work with advanced digital tools, drawing attention to persistent structural imbalances in one of Europe’s most technology‑intensive economies.
“Addressing these issues is important not only for gender equality, but also for productivity, innovation, and inclusive economic growth in Ireland”
The study draws on data from the European Skills and Jobs Survey and introduces a new Job Digital Intensity Index to measure digital demands across different roles. Researchers found that about 44% of men working in Ireland use advanced digital skills, while fewer than one in five women do so.
This gap is nearly double the European average and is driven mainly by unusually high levels of advanced digital task use among Irish men. Women’s usage rates are broadly in line with European norms, but the intensity of digital roles held by men in Ireland creates a wider overall divide.
Targeted action urged
According to the research team, many women and men in Ireland cluster into different types of jobs, particularly in technology‑intensive sectors. This explains part of the disparity in access to advanced tools such as programming, machine learning systems and artificial intelligence software.
Dr Adele Whelan, Senior Research Officer at the ESRI, commented: “These gender gaps persist even among women and men with similar education levels, fields of study and occupations. This indicates that encouraging women into STEM education and occupations, while essential, will not on its own close the divide. Women are under-represented in the most digitally intensive roles, pointing to a potential ‘digital glass ceiling’ within workplaces.”
“The finding that younger women already face large gaps is a particular concern for policymakers, as it suggests the problem will not resolve on its own and requires targeted action. Addressing these issues is important not only for gender equality, but also for productivity, innovation, and inclusive economic growth in Ireland.”
Closing the divide
However, the report notes that a substantial share of the gap cannot be explained by differences in education, occupation or sector. Researchers describe this pattern as evidence of a “digital glass ceiling”, where women remain less represented in the most digitally demanding roles even when their qualifications are similar to those of their male peers.
One of the report’s senior authors emphasised that encouraging more women to pursue STEM education remains essential but will not fully close the divide. She highlighted that gender gaps persist even when women and men have similar levels of education and work in similar types of jobs. The research recommends further investigation into how firms allocate digital tasks, responsibilities and progression opportunities. This work, the team argues, is critical for fully utilising women’s digital capabilities in a labour market that continues to cite skills shortages as a constraint on growth. [rte.ie]
A representative from Block W, which focuses on advancing opportunities for women in technology, said that Ireland’s competitiveness depends as much on how workplaces operate as on investment and infrastructure.
Professor Joyce O’Connor, co-founder and chair of Block W, commented: “For Ireland, these findings should give us pause. Competitiveness, innovation and resilience depend not only on investment and infrastructure, but on what happens inside workplaces: how advanced digital work is designed and allocated, whose expertise is trusted, and who gets access to high-value opportunities.
“In an economy facing skills shortages, failing to fully utilise women’s advanced digital capability is an avoidable constraint on growth. Further research is needed on task allocation and progression within firms, and on what interventions positively impact outcomes. This report provides a timely evidence base to inform the Updated National Digital and AI Strategy and wider policy action.”
-
Bank of Ireland is welcoming new customers every day – funding investments, working capital and expansions across multiple sectors. To learn more, click here
-
For support in challenging times, click here
-
Listen to the ThinkBusiness Podcast for business insights and inspiration. All episodes are here. You can also listen to the Podcast on:
-
Spotify
-
SoundCloud
-
Apple
