Ireland Employment Guide

Ireland is in northwestern Europe, on the Atlantic’s east coast, bordering the Irish Sea (east) and facing the UK across the sea. It has ~5 million people; Irish and English are official, and Dublin is the capital. Its highly developed economy is service-led, with global competitiveness in finance, IT, biomedicine and pharmaceuticals. Agriculture and export-oriented manufacturing also hold shares. Sound labor laws (per Employment Rights Act) protect wages, hours, leave and social security. Standard workweek: 39-40 hours (overtime needs extra pay or time off). Salaries are usually monthly (avg. €3,200 pre-tax). Laws cover paid leave and encourage flexible work, balancing employer-employee interests for a fair, sustainable labor market.

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Currency

Euro (EUR, €)

Capital

Dublin

Official language

Irish (Gaelic) and English

Salary Cycle

Monthly

Our Employment Guide in Ireland

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Navigating Employment Termination in Ireland: A Professional Guide

Terminating employment in Ireland requires careful adherence to complex legal frameworks and country-specific regulations. The separation process must be handled collaboratively between employers and key stakeholders, often involving specific procedures and potential financial obligations depending on the termination circumstances.

Valid Grounds for Employment Termination

Irish employment law permits termination only under specific justified conditions. Employers must establish clear, documented reasons falling into these categories:

Voluntary resignation by the employee
Mutual agreement between parties
Employer-initiated termination based on:
- Probationary period assessment
- Objective business reasons
- Disciplinary dismissal (gross misconduct, fraud, repeated policy violations)
- Performance issues rendering employee unsuitable for role
- Physical or mental incapacity to perform duties
- Loss of legal right to work in Ireland
Contract expiration

Statutory Notice Period Requirements

Ireland mandates minimum notice periods that scale with employment duration:

Employment Duration	Minimum Notice
13 weeks to 2 years	1 week
2 to 5 years	2 weeks
5 to 10 years	4 weeks
10 to 15 years	6 weeks
Over 15 years	8 weeks

Severance and Payment in Lieu Considerations

Employers may opt for payment in lieu of notice (PILON), providing basic wages the employee would have earned during the notice period. Statutory redundancy payments become mandatory only when termination results from redundancy after two years of continuous service.

SailGlobal implements strategic severance accruals across all Irish employment agreements to mitigate unexpected financial exposures. Our global expertise in litigation risk management ensures calculations reflect current common law, statutory requirements, and local best practices. Unused accruals are fully returned if employees resign or aren't entitled to severance.

Practical Case Examples

Case 1: A technology company navigating performance-based termination saved €25,000 in potential claims through SailGlobal's documented process guidance.

Case 2: A manufacturing firm avoided Workplace Relations Commission intervention by implementing SailGlobal's redundancy consultation framework.

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