Leave rules · 2026
Annual leave and sick leave rules in Ireland (2026)
Employees in Ireland get at least 20 days of paid annual leave a year on a 5-day week (4 weeks). Sick leave: 5 paid days a year.
Rules as of September 2026 · page built Monday, September 28, 2026Statutory minimums
High confidenceYour number
20 days a year (160 hours)
Statutory minimum 20 days on a 5-day week at 0 years of service.
Paid sick leave: 5 days a year (40 hours).
This is the legal floor for Ireland; the contract can give more.
| Service | Minimum (5-day week) | In weeks |
|---|---|---|
| Starting entitlement | 20 days | 4 weeks |
4 working weeks in a leave year with at least 1,365 hours worked (or 8% of hours worked, or 1/3 of a working week per month worked, whichever is greatest).
Worked exampleA full-time employee on a 5-day week gets at least 20 days a year.
What the rules mean in practice
In Ireland, a full-time employee on a 5-day week is entitled to at least 20 days of paid annual leave a year, which is 4 weeks.
In Ireland, a full-time employee on a 5-day week is entitled to at least 20 days of paid annual leave a year, which is 4 weeks. The legal wording: 4 working weeks in a leave year with at least 1,365 hours worked (or 8% of hours worked, or 1/3 of a working week per month worked, whichever is greatest).
Compared with the other 37 jurisdictions LeaveCalc covers, that starting minimum is higher than 20, the same as 8 and lower than 9. Across all of them the range runs from 5 days (the Philippines) to 30 days (the United Arab Emirates). 20 days is about 7.7% of a 260-day working year.
No service-based step is recorded here, so the 20-day minimum applies at every length of service; the official source has the full rule.
There are public holidays in addition to annual leave. For 2026, the public holiday calendar for Ireland lists 10 holidays, 9 of them on working days. An employee who has all 9 weekday holidays off on top of the 20-day minimum is away from work on at least 29 weekdays in 2026.
Sick leave: 5 days of statutory sick pay a year after 13 weeks of service, paid at 70% of earnings up to a daily cap, with a medical certificate. LeaveCalc rates this entry High confidence, based on the official sources listed below as of September 2026.
Public holidays
There are public holidays in addition to annual leave. See the 2026 and 2027 public holiday dates for Ireland, with .ics downloads.
Sources
- https://www.workplacerelations.ie/en/what_you_should_know/leave/annual-leave/
- https://www.workplacerelations.ie/en/what_you_should_know/leave/sick-leave/
- https://www.citizensinformation.ie/en/employment/employment-rights-and-conditions/leave-and-holidays/sick-leave-and-sick-pay
As of September 2026. Statutory minimums only: contracts, collective agreements and local rules can give more.
Questions about leave in Ireland
The statutory minimum is 20 days a year for a full-time employee on a 5-day week (4 weeks).
How many days of annual leave do employees get in Ireland?
The statutory minimum is 20 days a year for a full-time employee on a 5-day week (4 weeks). 4 working weeks in a leave year with at least 1,365 hours worked (or 8% of hours worked, or 1/3 of a working week per month worked, whichever is greatest).
Does annual leave increase with length of service in Ireland?
No service-based step is recorded here for Ireland: the statutory minimum stays at 20 days a year. Check the official source for the full rule.
Is sick leave paid in Ireland?
Yes. The minimum is 5 paid days a year. 5 days of statutory sick pay a year after 13 weeks of service, paid at 70% of earnings up to a daily cap, with a medical certificate.
Are public holidays part of annual leave in Ireland?
There are public holidays in addition to annual leave. In 2026 the calendar for Ireland has 10 public holidays, 9 of them on working days.