Although women's participation in the labour force has increased dramatically during the 1990s, they are still under-represented in better paid and more prestigious employments, according to the latest edition of "Women in the Labour Force". The report, using Central Statistics Office data, says that in 1998 women accounted for 40 per cent of the labour force, compared with 30 per cent 1990. However, women were "notably under-represented in some of the fast-growing sectors and occupations, and within professional occupations, women are still seriously under-represented in the higher grades".