A new report on gender equality has found that Irish women with children are paid less than others, compared with 17 other countries.

The study, carried out by Glassdoor, found that those that have children are paid less in a number of countries, with a gender pay gap increasing by 30% in Ireland.

Ireland is the worst country for increasing the gender pay gap with women who are mothers ahead of Germany (23%) and Norway (19%) coming a close second and third respectively.

The report also states that women with children face further difficulties with high childcare costs and the burden of unpaid household work falling on the mother.

As well as this women are especially under-represented at senior levels, particularly in jobs that involve decision-making responsibilities such as management positions.

Fewer than 40% of managers across Europe are women.

The study also found that the gender gap is lessened for those who have gone through third level education and further education significantly increased a woman’s probability of being employed.

Although more and more women are entering the workplace, there are still fewer women than men in the workplace across a number of countries including Ireland, Italy, Greece and the US.

In the European Union, 213 million are employed which breaks down to 54% men and 46% women.

The gap between employed men and women is largest in Italy (18%) and Greece (19%) and smallest in Finland, Sweden and Norway where the gap is just 2-4%.