Ireland has 10 public holidays each year. Full-time employees have an immediate entitlement to a public holiday benefit; part-time employees generally qualify after working at least 40 hours in the previous 5 weeks.
Irish public holiday dates in 2026
| Public holiday | Date |
|---|---|
| New Year's Day | Thursday, 1 January 2026 |
| St Brigid's Day | Monday, 2 February 2026 |
| St Patrick's Day | Tuesday, 17 March 2026 |
| Easter Monday | Monday, 6 April 2026 |
| May Day | Monday, 4 May 2026 |
| June Bank Holiday | Monday, 1 June 2026 |
| August Bank Holiday | Monday, 3 August 2026 |
| October Bank Holiday | Monday, 26 October 2026 |
| Christmas Day | Friday, 25 December 2026 |
| St Stephen's Day | Saturday, 26 December 2026 |
The holiday remains attached to its statutory date even when that date falls on a Saturday or Sunday. There is no automatic legal rule moving it to Monday.
What benefit does an employee receive?
The employer determines which of four statutory options applies: a paid day off on the public holiday, a paid day off within one month, an additional day of annual leave, or an additional day of pay. The option can differ between holidays and employees according to the work arrangement.
A public holiday benefit is separate from annual leave entitlement. If an extra day of annual leave is selected as the benefit, it is added rather than taken from the ordinary statutory annual leave balance.
Full-time and part-time eligibility
Full-time employees have an immediate entitlement. A part-time employee generally qualifies after working a total of at least 40 hours in the 5 weeks immediately before the public holiday.
The test concerns hours actually worked in the look-back period. Keep rosters, timesheets and payslips if the total is close to the threshold.
How public holiday pay depends on the roster
If the business is closed and the employee would normally work, the employee receives the normal day’s pay. If the employee works, pay for the hours worked at the agreed rate is separate from the public holiday benefit. Where the employee does not normally work that day, the additional-pay measure is generally one-fifth of the normal weekly wage.
An eligible employee has a normal weekly wage of €600 but does not normally work on the public holiday. One-fifth is €120. The actual benefit and payroll presentation should be checked against the option selected by the employer.
Weekend public holidays
When a public holiday falls on a day the business does not normally operate, employees do not lose the benefit. The employer can provide a paid day off within a month, an extra day of annual leave or an extra day of pay. That is why a workplace may close on Monday, but the Monday closure is not an automatic statutory substitute holiday.
Good Friday and other commonly confused dates
Good Friday is not one of Ireland’s statutory public holidays and is normally a working day. Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve are also not statutory public holidays. A contract, collective agreement, sectoral rule or established workplace practice may still provide time off or enhanced pay.
Plan and verify your entitlement
- Confirm whether you are full-time or part-time for this rule.
- For part-time work, total hours in the exact five-week look-back period.
- Check whether the day is one you normally work.
- Ask which of the four statutory benefits the employer selected.
- Keep pay and roster records showing how the benefit was delivered.
Check your public holiday entitlement
Answer a few questions about employment type, hours and your normal roster.
Check entitlementFrequently asked questions
How many public holidays are there in Ireland?
Ireland has ten statutory public holidays each year.
Are bank holidays and public holidays the same in Ireland?
People often say “bank holiday”, but employee rights are based on the ten statutory public holidays.
Do I automatically get Monday off when a holiday falls at the weekend?
No. The benefit remains due, but there is no automatic legal entitlement to the next working day off.
Do part-time workers get public holiday pay?
They generally qualify after working at least 40 hours in the previous five weeks.
Is Good Friday a public holiday in Ireland?
No. Good Friday is not a statutory public holiday, although a contract or workplace arrangement may provide a benefit.
Is public holiday pay part of annual leave?
No. Public holiday benefits and annual leave are separate statutory entitlements.
Official sources
Rules and thresholds can change. Check the source that applies to your circumstances before making an important decision.
Important: This guide provides general information for workers in Ireland. It does not replace your contract, payroll records, official guidance or advice on a disputed or unusual case.