What changed, and when

13 October 2026 · Official record

Tracker started

First check of the Irish Statute Book, the Department of Enterprise, the Department of Social Protection and the WRC. Minimum wage €14.15 and My Future Fund in force since 1 January; the Employment (Contractual Retirement Ages) Act 2025 commenced 29 June; statutory sick pay unchanged at 5 days; no Pay Transparency Bill published.

Changes: None: the rules config reflects the position above.

6 October 2026 · Official record

Budget 2027: minimum wage to rise 79c to €14.94

Budget 2027, delivered 6 October, includes a 79 cent rise in the National Minimum Wage, confirmed by the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment. The Irish Times reports this brings the rate to about €14.94 an hour from 1 January 2027. The Low Pay Commission recommended the same rise in July; no National Minimum Wage Order for 2027 has yet been made.

Changes: rules.minimumWage.rates: a human change, with effectiveFrom 2027-01-01, once the Order is made.

6 October 2026 · Press report

Budget 2027: core welfare rates to rise €10 a week

The Irish Times reports that Budget 2027, delivered 6 October, raises core weekly social welfare rates by €10 from January 2027, with the State pension passing €300. It is not yet confirmed whether Maternity, Paternity, Parent's and Illness Benefit are among the payments affected; official Department of Social Protection figures were not available to check against.

Changes: rules.familyLeave.benefitWeeklyRate and the Illness Benefit figure in rules.sickLeave: a human change once the exact 2027 rates are confirmed from gov.ie or the Social Welfare Act.

29 September 2026 · Press report

Almost 30,000 opt out of auto-enrolment pensions

The Irish Times reports that 29,352 people, under 4% of those enrolled, left My Future Fund during its first opt-out window, which opened 1 July and ran to the end of August 2026. For comparison, the article cites opt-out rates of about 10% in the UK and 12% in New Zealand.

29 June 2026 · Official record

Right to work to 66 commenced

The Employment (Contractual Retirement Ages) Act 2025 commenced on 29 June 2026. An employee with a contractual retirement age below 66 can notify, three to twelve months ahead, an intention to work until 66; the employer can refuse only where objectively justified.

Changes: rules.retirement: commenced 2026-06-29.

7 June 2026 · Official record

Pay Transparency Directive deadline passed

The 7 June 2026 transposition deadline for Directive (EU) 2023/970 passed without an Irish Act. The Department indicated a phased approach; no General Scheme was published.

1 January 2026 · Official record

Minimum wage €14.15 and My Future Fund in force

The 2026 minimum wage order commenced: €14.15 at 20 and over, €12.74 at 19, €11.32 at 18, €9.91 under 18. Auto-enrolment contributions began from January pay. Maternity, Paternity and Parent's Benefit rose to €299 a week.

Changes: rules.minimumWage.rates (effectiveFrom 2026-01-01); rules.pensions.started; rules.familyLeave.benefitWeeklyRate.