National Minimum Wage 2024 Ireland: Rates & Increases

If you’ve ever worked through a payslip’s numbers wondering where the next increase might land, you’re not alone — Ireland’s minimum wage has moved five times since 2022 alone. This guide breaks down exactly what the current rates mean in your pocket each week, and where the next two increases are already locked in. Everything here draws from official government sources, not estimates.

2024 Hourly Rate (20+): €12.70 · 2025 Hourly Rate: €13.50 · 2026 Hourly Rate: €14.15 · Under 18 Rate 2024: €8.89 · 19 Years Old Rate 2024: €11.43

What is the minimum wage in Ireland 2024?

Ireland’s national minimum wage rose to €12.70 per hour from 1 January 2024 for all workers aged 20 and over. The increase of €1.40 represented a 12.4% jump from the previous rate of €11.30 — the largest single-year jump in over a decade. This rate applies regardless of whether you work full-time, part-time, temporary, casual, or seasonal hours; the Workplace Relations Commission notes there is no reduced rate for part-time workers.

Rates by age group

Ireland uses a tiered system that scales pay by age, giving younger workers a percentage of the adult rate:

• Under 18: €8.89 per hour — 70% of the adult rate
• 18 years old: €10.16 per hour — 80%
• 19 years old: €11.43 per hour — 90%
• 20 and over: €12.70 per hour — full rate

These sub-rates are set by the same ministerial order that fixes the adult rate. The Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment confirmed that the 2026 rates maintain this same percentage structure.

Previous rates comparison

The trajectory has been steep. From 2022 to 2026, the adult NMW has risen from €10.50 to €14.15 — a cumulative increase of €3.65, or roughly 35% over four years. The Employsome analysis shows this compares to a near-flat period between 2008 and 2015 during the financial crisis, when the rate held steady in nominal terms.

How much is 40 hours on minimum wage?

A standard 40-hour working week at the 2024 rate of €12.70 generates a gross weekly wage of €508 before any deductions. This calculation assumes a fixed schedule — in practice, many minimum wage workers are on variable hours, so actual weekly pay can fluctuate.

Weekly earnings calculation

The math is straightforward:

• 40 hours × €12.70 = €508.00 gross per week (2024)
• 40 hours × €13.50 = €540.00 gross per week (from January 2025)
• 40 hours × €14.15 = €566.00 gross per week (from January 2026)

These figures are gross — income tax, PRSI, and universal social charge reduce the amount you take home. A single worker on the full 40-hour minimum wage in 2024 would typically retain around €410–€430 net, depending on their tax credits.

Standard work week assumptions

The standard full-time week in Ireland is commonly quoted as 39 hours rather than 40 — particularly in sectors like healthcare and retail. At 39 hours:

• 2024: €12.70 × 39 = €495.30 gross per week
• 2026: €14.15 × 39 = €551.85 gross per week

The MSS The HR People calculates that the 2026 increase adds €40.90 per week — or €2,129.40 over a full year — for a worker on a 39-hour contract.

What this means: even with official rate increases, workers on variable contracts face income instability that the hourly figure alone cannot capture.

What is your annual salary on the National Minimum Wage?

Working 52 weeks at 40 hours per week, a minimum wage employee in 2024 earns approximately €26,416 gross annually. By 2026, that rises to roughly €29,432 gross — assuming no gaps in employment and a consistent 40-hour week.

Annual gross pay estimate

The calculation across the three rates:

• 2024: €508 × 52 = €26,416 gross
• 2025: €540 × 52 = €28,080 gross
• 2026: €566 × 52 = €29,432 gross

These are not small numbers — €28,080 puts a full-time minimum wage worker above the median individual income in many Irish regions outside Dublin. But as the GPA analysis notes, 164,000 workers were still earning at the minimum wage rate in 2024 — representing roughly 6% of the Irish workforce.

Full-time assumptions

These annual figures assume continuous full-time employment — 52 weeks with no unpaid gaps. In reality, many minimum wage workers are in sectors with seasonal lay-offs, zero-hours uncertainty, or part-year contracts. For someone working 48 weeks at 30 hours, the 2024 annual gross would be closer to €18,288 — significantly lower than the headline figure.

The implication: published annual figures flatter the reality for most minimum wage workers, whose earnings depend on employer-controlled scheduling rather than the official hourly rate.

Is the minimum wage going up in 2026 in Ireland?

Yes. Ireland’s national minimum wage will rise to €14.15 per hour from 1 January 2026 for workers aged 20 and over — an increase of €0.65, or 4.8%, from the 2025 rate of €13.50. The Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment confirmed this increase following a Low Pay Commission recommendation and its incorporation into Budget 2026.

2025 and 2026 increases

The progression from 2024 to 2026 has been deliberately staged:

• 1 January 2024: €12.70 (+€1.40 from 2023)
• 1 January 2025: €13.50 (+€0.80 from 2024)
• 1 January 2026: €14.15 (+€0.65 from 2025)

The 2026 increase of 4.8% outpaced the 2025 CPI inflation rate of 2.8%, meaning workers gained real purchasing power, not just a nominal adjustment. The Employsome analysis describes this as one of the few periods where minimum wage growth has meaningfully outstripped cost-of-living pressures.

Official announcements

The 2025 increase was announced on 3 December 2024 by the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment, incorporated into Budget 2025. The 2026 increase followed the same pattern — Budget 2026, Low Pay Commission recommendation, ministerial order.

The pattern: without a firm post-2026 roadmap, workers and employers alike face planning uncertainty that official announcements have yet to resolve.

What salary is 13.50 an hour?

At the 2025 rate of €13.50 per hour, a full-time 40-hour week translates to €540 gross per week, or approximately €28,080 gross annually before tax. This is the rate that took effect from 1 January 2025 — a €0.80 increase from the 2024 rate.

Weekly and annual equivalents

Working from the €13.50 rate across common hours scenarios:

• 30 hours/week: €405 gross weekly / ~€21,060 annually
• 35 hours/week: €472.50 gross weekly / ~€24,570 annually
• 39 hours/week: €526.50 gross weekly / ~€27,378 annually
• 40 hours/week: €540 gross weekly / ~€28,080 annually

2025 projections

The 2025 rate of €13.50 brought Ireland close to the living wage threshold of €14.80, narrowing the gap to roughly €1.30 per hour. The Remote guide noted this was part of a broader government strategy to reduce in-work poverty, particularly for workers without dependents who often fell between existing welfare and tax credit safety nets.

The catch: even with the 2025 rate narrowing the gap to the living wage, housing costs in Dublin mean most minimum wage workers still struggle to save after basic expenses.

“I do anticipate that we will see increases to the minimum wage every year over the next number of years.”

— Leo Varadkar, Former Taoiseach, 2022 statement on living wage plans

“New phased approach will strengthen Ireland’s competitiveness while supporting businesses and workers.”

— Peter Burke, Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment

Related reading: Cost of Living Crisis UK · DWP Cost of Living Payments

The 2024 rate of €12.70 per hour sets the stage for Ireland’s national minimum wage to rise to the €13.50 rate from Jan 1 , as confirmed in recent announcements.

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