Society: Irishmen are Europe's worst for helping out in the home
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.Marry a Dane but avoid an Irishman appears to be the best advice for any woman wondering how best to juggle children, meals and housework with the demands of a full-time job.
A study by the European Commission confirms that most European fathers are still playing a marginal role when it comes to childcare. Worst offenders are Irishmen, Greeks, Italians, Spaniards, and Luxembourgers, while only in Denmark and Holland can women expect anything verging on equal partnership.
One in three women in the EU is classed officially as a housewife. But the house-husband seems an illusory creature, with less than 1 per cent of men aged 25 to 59 staying at home full-time. Ireland has the highest percentage of housewives, with 60 per cent of women in the 25 to 59 age bracket remaining at home to look after children and take care of household chores.
In Spain Greece Italy and Luxembourg the percentage is also more than 40%. Housewives as a percentage of the British population have fallen to below the EU average. The housewife is rarer in France Portugal and Belgium and almost extinct in Denmark where only 4 per cent of women opt to work exclusively in the home.
Subscribe to Independent Premium to bookmark this article
Want to bookmark your favourite articles and stories to read or reference later? Start your Independent Premium subscription today.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments