Women are left with significantly lower pensions than men in retirement, according to the Economic and Social Research Institute.

The ESRI report found that women receive €153 less than men per week, which adds up to €600 less per month and close to €8,000 less per year.

The gender pension gap is mainly due to men spending longer in the workforce. Only a third of women spend 30 years or more in the workforce, compared to 93% of men.

The reasons for this include women taking career breaks to care for children.

As a result, more men have occupational and private pensions, while women mainly depend on the state pension.

Charlie Weston, personal finance editor with the Irish Independent, says that women are very much second-class citizens when it comes to pensions.

He joined us to discuss this in more detail.

Listen to the interview in full by pressing the play button on this page.