In summary

In Ireland there is a statutory minimum wage of 12.7€ per hour, which makes a minimum wage of 2146.3€ per month (7.6% in real growth terms comparing to the previous year). The MW is set by the government after taking account of the Low Pay Commission. The criteria guiding the adjustments of MW are recommendations of the Low Pay Commission, taking account of a 2022 Government decision, aim to increase the MW to 60% of the hourly median wage of all employees by January 2026. There are staggered sub-minimum rate for young workers aged 19 or younger. The gender pay gap is 9.3%, while the in-work poverty rate is 5.5%. Finally, wage inequality (calculated as Interdecile ratio P90/P10) is 4.5.

Minimum Wage in Ireland

Statutory Minimum Wage ?

Yes
Does your country have a statutory minimum wage? (yes or no). For Statutory it is intended “set by law”.

Hourly Minimum Wage

13.50€
In countries where MW are expressed in monthly pay (or weekly - MT), the amount is converted into hourly rates based on the average collectively agreed number of working hours per month, as provided by Eurofound (2023), or most recent data available. For non-euro countries, the values were converted to Euro by applying the exchange rate applicable at the end of the previous reference month (December 2023). Rates for countries with more than 12 wage payments per year (Greece, Portugal, Slovenia and Spain) were converted by dividing the annual sum of the minimum wage by 12 calendar months.

Monthly Min. Wage

2282.00€
In countries in which the minimum wage is not explicitly set per month, the calculation of the monthly minimum wage is based on the hourly rate multiplied with the average collectively agreed number of working hours per month (full time equivalent). Or most recent data available.

MW as % Gross Median Wage

50.00%
Under the Directive, Member States are required to use indicative reference values when assessing of the adequacy of statutory minimum wages: 60% of the gross median wage. The data is based on the OECD Earnings Database (2024); for Malta and for Bulgaria the data was taken from Eurostat (2024). For Bulgaria the most recent figure available at Eurostat was for 2018.

MW as % Gross Average Wage

38.00%
Under the Directive, Member States are required to use indicative reference values when assessing of the adequacy of statutory minimum wages: 50% of the gross average wage. The data is based on the OECD Earnings Database (2024); for Malta and for Bulgaria the data was taken from Eurostat (2024).

Nominal Growth rate of Wages

6.30%
Development from January 2023 to January 2024 based on national currencies.

Real Growth rate of wages

4.80%
Development from January 2023 to January 2024 based on national currencies. The calculation is based on the annual average of Eurostat's harmonized index of consumer prices.

Real Growth rate of wages

4.80%
Development from January 2023 to January 2024 based on national currencies. The calculation is based on the annual average of Eurostat's harmonized index of consumer prices.

% of workers covered by minimum wage

8.30%

Automatic indexation of adjustments

no
An indexation mechanism links the development of minimum wages to the development of other indicators such as inflation or negotiated wages.

MW setting procedure

Government, after taking account of the Low Pay Commission’
This indicator refers to the mechanism used to set the minimum wage involving indexation, unilateral government decisions and different kinds of trilateral and bilateral negotiations with or without the involvement of expert commissions.

Criteria guiding adjustment of MW

Recommendations of the Low Pay Commission, taking account of a 2022 Government decision, aim to increase the MW to 60% of the hourly median wage of all employees by January 2026.
The Directive specifies the following criteria for the adjustment of minimum wages: purchasing power of statutory minimum wages taking into consideration the cost of living, general level of wages and their distribution, growth rate of wages and long-term productivity levels and their developments.

Variations from statutory Minimum Wage

Staggered sub-minimum rate for young workers aged 19 or younger
Variations refer to the fact that Member States may allow for different rates of statutory minimum wages for specific groups of workers such as in particular young workers.

Presence of variations from statutory minimum wages

Staggered sub-minimum rate for young workers aged 19 or younger

Consultative body on statutory Minimum Wage and social partner involvement

Government decision is taken after recommendation of Low Pay Commission consisting of representatives from social partners, civil society, and academic experts.
The Directive requires Member States to involve the two sides of industry into the setting and updating of statutory minimum wages in a timely manner which involves the establishment of consultative bodies such as low-pay or minimum wage commissions or other tri- and bipartite structures whose advice can be but does not need to be binding.

Gender Pay Gap

8.60%
The unadjusted gender pay gap is calculated as the difference between the average gross hourly earnings of male and female paid employees as a percentage of average gross hourly earnings of male paid employees (latest data Eurostat, 2022).

In-work poverty rate

5.30%
In-work at-risk-of-poverty rate refers to the percentage of persons, who declared to be employed or self-employed, being at risk of poverty (i.e. with a disposable income below the threshold, set at 60 % of the national median disposable income after social transfers) (latest data Eurostat, 2023).

Income inequality (income quintile share Ratio S80/S20)

3.74
Income quintile share ratio S80/S20 for gross market income. The ratio of total income received by the 20 % of the population with the highest income (top quintile) to that received by the 20 % of the population with the lowest income (lowest quintile). Income must be understood as equivalised disposable income. The indicator is based on the EU-SILC (statistics on income, social inclusion and living conditions - Eurostat 2025).

In summary

In Ireland, the collective bargaining coverage is 44%. Wages bargaining take place mostly at company level. Collective agreements are not valid beyond their expiration. There is no national law dealing with collective bargaining clauses in public procurement. Trade unions have no legal access to the workplace, and workers and trade union representatives receive only payment of compensation in the event of dismissal. Employers federations are present with a negotiating mandate. The discussions on the transposition of the Directive started, and after the assessment of the current situation was completed, the Government concluded that no further legislative actions are required concerning the minimum wage setting procedures. It is considerend transposed with publication on Iris Oifigiúl, Number 94. Action Plan for collective bargaining to be discussed in 2025.

Collective Bargaining in Ireland

Collective Bargaining Coverage

34.00%
Collective Bargaining coverage is measured as the share of employees covered by a collective agreement (in percent) of the number of employees with the right to bargain (OECD/AIAS ICTWSS database, 2021 or most recent year available – for DE source is IAB 2024; for NL, source is De Burcht 2024; for ES source is Spanish Ministry for Labour and Social Economy 2024).

Predominant level at which wage bargaining takes place (in terms of coverage of employees)

Company
Collective bargaining can take place at several levels: cross-sectoral, sectoral or company/enterprise level. The predominant level is measured in terms of coverage of employees by collective agreements at the various levels.

Extension Mechanism

Rare extension
Extension mechanisms refer to the rules that ensure that a collective agreement also applies to companies and employees who are not a member of the signatory parties to the agreement (i.e. trade unions and employers' associations).

Valididy of Collective Agreeements after expirations?

No
Are the collective agreements in your country still valid beyond their expiration? (yes or no)

Exclusion of group of employees from collective bargaining

Yes, (e.g. very senior civil servants)
In some countries certain groups of employees (for instance civil servants or solo self-employed) do not have the right to collective bargaining.

Trade Union Involvement in Action Plan drafting

The Government has established a technical working group of the tripartite social dialogue Labour Employer Economic Forum to ‘examine what is required to implement the collective bargaining elements of the Directive’ New GOV committed to produce an AP.
The Directive's requirement to establish an action plan to promote collective bargaining includes the obligation of timely and meaningful involvement of trade unions (based on info from affiliates).

Trade Union Density

20.20%
Trade union density is measured as the share of employees who are a member of a trade union (in percent) of the overall workforce (OECD/AIAS ICTWSS database, 2019 or the most recent year available)

Collective bargaining clauses in Public Procurement

No clauses
This category refers to clauses which ensure that public contracts are awarded only to those companies which provide collectively agreed wages and which respect the workers' right to bargain collectively.

Call to introduce or strengthen sectoral system of collective bargaining

ICTU is calling for collective bargaining including at sectoral level to be promoted, but there is no formal Government decision on this, so far
The Directive explicitly requires Member States to strengthen (cross-)sectoral bargaining because countries with a bargaining coverage of 80% and more are characterized by well-developed sectoral bargaining systems.

Right of Access to workplace (also digitally)

no
The trade union right of access to companies is an important tool to increase bargaining coverage by strengthening the trade unions' capacity to act. This right can be granted either by law or by collective agreements and it either covers only companies where there is a union presence or all companies.

Protection of workers and trade union representatives against dismissal/discrimination

payment of compensation in the event of dismissal only’
Article 4(1) of the Directive stipulates that the Member States must take measures to protect the exercise of the right to collective bargaining and to protect these workers and union representatives from discrimination on the grounds that they participate or wish to participate in collective bargaining on wage-setting.

Financial incentives for union members

no
One way to increase collective bargaining coverage by strengthening the unions' capacity to act is by providing financial incentives for workers to become a trade union member. This can take different forms which are set out in this category.

Presence of employers’ federation(s) with negotiating mandate

Yes, i.e. national employers’ federation
One important reason for low collective bargaining coverage is the fact that there are no sectoral employers' associations as a negotiation partner of trade unions. Or where they exist they often do not have a negotiation mandate. Thus, promoting the establishment of sectoral employers' associations with a negotiation mandate is another important tool to increase bargaining coverage.

Obligation for employers to engage in sectoral bargaining

no
One principal reason for low bargaining coverage is the fact that employers and their associations are not willing to engage in negotiations with trade unions. An obligation for employers to engage in meaningful negotiations with trade unions could help to increase collective bargaining coverage.

Did your country start the process of transposition?

For MW: Assessment of current situation completed by the Government: no further legislative actions required. Transposed! For CB: discussion/preparation ongoing
Concerning either the Minimum Wage settings or the Collective Bargaining systems. Monitored and categorised as: N/A; Assessment of current situation completed: no actions required; Not started; Discussion / preparation ongoing; Draft Legislation published; Parliamentary discussion started; Transposed.