Official Reference Guide

Ireland Public Holiday Rights & Entitlements

Under Irish employment legislation (Organisation of Working Time Act 1997), workers in Ireland have statutory entitlements for public holidays.

Statutory Entitlements for Public Holidays

In Ireland, there are 10 statutory public holidays per year. For every public holiday, a qualifying employee is entitled to one of the following four options chosen by their employer:

A paid day off on the day of the public holiday.
An additional day of annual leave.
An additional day's pay (double time for working the day).
A paid day off within a month of the public holiday.

Full-Time vs. Part-Time Employee Rules

Full-Time Employees

Full-time workers have immediate statutory entitlement to public holiday benefits from their first day of employment, whether working or on leave.

Part-Time Employees

Part-time workers qualify if they have worked at least 40 hours in the 5 weeks prior to the public holiday. If the holiday falls on a day they do not normally work, they are entitled to 1/5th of their normal weekly pay.

Bank Holidays vs. Public Holidays Distinction

While commonly referred to interchangeably in Ireland, bank holidays (days banks are legally closed) are not always statutory public holidays.

Good Friday is a traditional bank holiday in Ireland, but it is not a statutory public holiday under the Organisation of Working Time Act. Employees do not have a statutory right to pay or time off for Good Friday unless specified in their employment contract.

Terms & Definitions Glossary

Term / Acronym	Meaning & Legal Context
OWTA	Organisation of Working Time Act 1997 — Primary Irish legislation governing annual leave and public holiday rights.
Public Holiday	Statutory paid day off or benefit period recognized under Irish law (10 days per year).
Bank Holiday	Day on which banks are closed; most coincide with public holidays (except Good Friday).
Statutory Leave	Minimum legal annual leave entitlement in Ireland (20 days per year for full-time workers).
IEP	Irish Punt / Irish Pound — Historical currency of Ireland prior to Euro adoption in 2002.