Working Hours in Ireland

The legal working week and day in Ireland, how overtime is paid, which days are the weekend, normal office hours and the paid leave you are owed.

Working week 48 hours Working day No limit Overtime pay Agreed Weekend days Sat–Sun Business hours 9am–5:30pm Annual leave 20 days

Working week in Ireland

48 hours

The Organisation of Working Time Act limits the average working week to 48 hours, usually averaged over 4 months. Unlike the UK there is no opt-out. Full-time is usually 39 or 40 hours.

Working day in Ireland

No limit

There is no daily limit, but you must get 11 hours’ rest in a row every day, a 15-minute break after 4.5 hours and a 30-minute break after 6 hours.

Overtime pay in Ireland

Agreed

There is no legal right to extra pay for overtime; your contract or sector agreement decides. Sunday work must be rewarded with a premium, an allowance or time off.

Weekend days in Ireland

Sat–Sun

Saturday and Sunday are the weekend for offices, banks and government. Shops and hospitality open seven days.

Business hours in Ireland

9am–5:30pm

Office hours are usually 9am to 5:30pm, Monday to Friday, with an hour for lunch. Banks generally open 10am to 4pm on weekdays.

Annual leave in Ireland

20 days

Full-time employees get 4 working weeks of paid annual leave, 20 days on a five-day week, plus 10 public holidays.

Checked 24 October 2026 against national labour laws and government sites. Laws change and this is a summary, not legal advice; check with the authority that applies to you.

Working days in Ireland 2026

Business days and working hours by month, after weekends and holidays.

Minimum wage in Ireland

The hourly and monthly minimum, in local money and US dollars.

Irish bank holidays 2026

Every holiday with its date and long weekends.