The "glass ceiling" continues to be a significant restraint on women's potential to influence society, according to new figures from the CSO.
The Women and Men in Irelandreport published today says only 13 per cent of TDs are women, less than 20 per cent are represented on regional and local authorities, and that the female membership of State boards is around 30 per cent.
Employment rates for women marginally exceed the EU target rate of 57 per cent, with sectors for female employees being education and health.
However, they were not well represented at senior level positions. Figures for 2003 show women accounted for 86 per cent of primary school teachers, though only 51 per cent of primary school managers. In the health service, women constituted 80 per cent of the workforce, in 2005.
Almost 80 per cent of clerical staff in the Civil Service were women in 2003, but just 11 per cent of staff at assistant and deputy secretary levels.
Women's under-representation at high levels and the lower participation rate in the workforce is reflected in income comparisons. Women's income in 2003 was around two-thirds of men's and adjusted for differences in hours worked, their hourly earnings were around 85 per cent of men's.
Women are at greater risk of falling into poverty. The proportion of men at risk of poverty in 2004 was 18 per cent compared to 23 per cent of women.
The early school leaver rate for girls is much lower than for boys, the figures show.