Working Days – Ireland

When a public holiday falls on a Saturday or Sunday, the next working day becomes a substitute day and is observed as a day off. For example, if Christmas Day falls on a Saturday, the following Monday is a substitute bank holiday. Employees are entitled to the day off with pay, as if the original holiday had fallen on a weekday.

Good Friday is not a statutory public holiday in Ireland, though it is widely observed and many employers grant it as a day off. For payroll and statutory entitlements, it should not be counted as an official bank holiday unless your company policy specifically includes it. You should clarify your organisation's position and communicate this clearly to staff.

The August bank holiday in Ireland is the first Monday in August. In 2026, this falls on 3 August. This is a fixed date rule that applies every year, making it straightforward to plan payroll and rotas in advance.

Ireland has 10 public holidays per year. St. Brigid's Day on 1 February was added as a statutory public holiday from 2023. This makes it a day off for all employees, and any work carried out on this day should be paid at the appropriate rate according to your employment terms.

Employees who work on a bank holiday are typically entitled to either an additional payment (often at a premium rate) or a substitute day off in lieu, depending on your employment contract and company policy. The statutory position requires that employees receive a day off for each bank holiday; if they work instead, this must be compensated fairly. Always refer to individual employment contracts and your company's bank holiday policy.