The hourly minimum wage in Ireland is based on age:

• Age 18 – 8.16 EUR per hour
• Age 19 – 9.18 EUR per hour
• Age 20 and over – 10.20 EUR per hour

Salaries are paid either on a weekly or monthly basis. Employees should be paid by the last day of the month.

There are no provisions in the law regarding 13th salaries.

A full-time workweek is 39 hours.  A workweek cannot exceed 48 hours on average over a 4-month period.  

Ireland does not have statutory overtime pay, however, is sometimes outlined in a collective bargaining agreement or is negotiated in the employment contract. 

Full-time employees receive four weeks of paid annual vacation, although more leave is possible if it’s within the employee’s contract. However, the employer can decide when annual leave is taken. Paid leave will only carry over if it is agreed upon between the employer and employee.

There are 9 public holidays.

No statutory law is in place that requires employees to receive paid sick leave, but employers should decide on their own sick leave policy and enact it in the employees’ contract or terms of employment. Employers must submit a written statement to an employee within two months of employment that provides information on the terms and conditions related to incapacity to work due to sickness or injury.

If an employee is ill during annual leave, they may obtain a medical certificate so the sick days will not count towards annual leave days.

Mothers are entitled to 26 (156 days) weeks of maternity leave and can receive an extra 16 weeks of unpaid leave, which begins immediately after the end of maternity leave. Mothers must take at least 2 weeks before the expected birth and at least 4 weeks after. Entitlement for paid leave depends on if the worker has contributed enough so social insurance, as employers are not obligated to pay.  

To receive benefits employees must contribute: 

• At least 39 weeks of PRSI paid in the 12-month period before the first day of your maternity leave 

or

• At least 39 weeks of PRSI paid since first starting work and at least 39 weeks of PRSI paid or credited in the relevant tax year or in the tax year immediately following the relevant tax year. 

or 

• At least 26 weeks of PRSI paid in the relevant tax year and at least 26 weeks PRSI paid in the tax year immediately before the relevant tax year. 

The weekly standard rate is 245.00 EUR.

2 weeks of paid leave is given during any time within 26 weeks of the birth or adoption.  

Those eligible for paternity leave are: 

• The father of the child 
• The spouse, civil partner or cohabitant of the mother of the child 
• The parent of a donor-conceived child 

To receive benefits an employee must have contributed to social insurance: 

• At least 26 weeks PRSI paid in the relevant tax year and at least 26 weeks PRSI paid in the tax year immediately before the relevant tax year. 

or 

• At least 39 weeks PRSI paid since first starting work and at least 39 weeks PRSI paid or credited in the relevant tax year or in the tax year immediately following the relevant tax year. 

or 

• At least 26 weeks PRSI paid in the relevant tax year and at least 26 weeks PRSI paid in the tax year immediately before the relevant tax year.

Parents of children age 12 years or younger are entitled to 26 weeks of unpaid leave.

If an employee has been employed for at least 13 weeks an employer should provide the statutory minimum of 1-week dismissal notice unless stated otherwise within the written contract. If an employee feels the dismissal is unfair, they may ask for a written statement reasoning the dismissal. The statement should be provided within 14 days of the request.  

When employment ends employees shall receive any money owed and a payslip.

Notice should be made by both an employee and employer as follows:   

Payment can be made in lieu of notice. 

When dismissed they have the right to receive wages owed to them for work completed. They are also to receive payment for annual leave earned but not taken. 

Employers are not required to pay severance to employees who have been terminated.  

For cases of redundancy employees are eligible to receive: 

• two weeks’ pay 
• extra bonus week 

Redundancy pay is set to a maximum limit of 600 per week. A worker with 5 years of consecutive employment is eligible for 11 weeks redundancy pay.

The probationary period can last from 6 to 12 months.

23% standard rate.