Irish women are the most educated in Europe. Just under 60% of young women here have a third level education, compared to 44% of men in the same age bracket.

That is according to figures released today by Eurostat.

Only 8% of young Irish women are early school-leavers - compared to 21% of Spanish women and 3% of Slovenian women.

Just 55% of Irish women are in employment, which is below the EU average 58%.

And with an average 2.01 children per woman in 2012, Irish women are among the most fertile group in the EU, along with the UK and France.

Across the EU last year, 40% of young women had completed 3rd-level education compared with 32% of men.

The largest differences between women and men for early leavers from education and training were seen in Portugal (14.3% for women and 27.1% for men), Malta (17.6% and 27.5%), Cyprus (7.0% and 16.5%), Latvia (6.3% and 14.7%) and Spain (20.8% and 28.8%).