Few things hit a household budget quite like the hourly rate you’re paid for your work. If you’re earning the minimum wage in Ireland in 2025 — or employ someone who is — the numbers have just shifted again, and they’re set to shift once more in 2026. This guide breaks down the exact rates, the age bands that affect younger workers, and how these statutory wages compare with the independently calculated living wage, giving you the full picture for planning ahead.

4 related posts

National minimum wage (2025, ages 20+): €13.50 per hour ·
National minimum wage (2026, ages 20+): €14.15 per hour ·
Increase amount (2025 to 2026): +€0.65 per hour ·
Minimum wage for under-18 (2025): €9.45 per hour (70% of full rate)

Quick snapshot

1Confirmed facts
2What’s unclear
3Timeline signal
4What’s next
  • 2027 rate not yet announced — Low Pay Commission will make recommendation
  • Gap between statutory minimum and Living Wage likely to remain a policy focus

Seven figures, one pattern: every rate is tiered by age, and the full adult rate only kicks in at 20, not 18.

The 2025 rate table below reveals how age and income intersect under Irish law.

Measure Value
Full minimum wage (2025, ages 20+) €13.50 per hour
Full minimum wage (2026, ages 20+) €14.15 per hour
Under-18 minimum wage (2025) €9.45 per hour (70% of full)
18-year-old minimum wage (2025) €10.80 per hour (80% of full)
19-year-old minimum wage (2025) €12.15 per hour (90% of full)
Weekly salary at full rate (37.5 hrs, 2025) €506.25
Weekly salary at full rate (37.5 hrs, 2026) €530.63

The implication: a worker under 20 loses thousands in potential earnings each year compared to a colleague just a few years older.

What will be the minimum wage in Ireland in 2025?

National minimum wage 2025 rate for ages 20+

From 1 January 2025, the national minimum wage for employees aged 20 and over in Ireland is €13.50 per hour, according to Citizens Information (the official government information service). That figure applies to most full-time, part-time, and temporary employees, though certain apprentices and trainees fall under different rules.

Minimum wage rates for younger workers (under 20)

Ireland uses an age-band system. The Workplace Relations Commission (Irish employment regulator) confirms these 2025 hourly rates:

  • Under 18: €9.45 per hour (70% of full rate)
  • Age 18: €10.80 per hour (80% of full rate)
  • Age 19: €12.15 per hour (90% of full rate)

The pattern: a 19-year-old working the same hours as a 21-year-old colleague earns €1.35 less per hour — a difference of over €50 on a 40-hour week.

Why this matters

A young worker aged 18 on €10.80 per hour takes home €432 for a 40-hour week before tax. The same hours at the adult rate of €13.50 would earn €540. That 20% gap adds up to roughly €5,600 per year — real money for anyone starting out.

Is the minimum wage going up in Ireland in 2026?

2026 minimum wage increase confirmed

Yes. The national minimum wage for workers aged 20 and over rises to €14.15 per hour from 1 January 2026, as confirmed by gov.ie (Department of Enterprise, Tourism and Employment). The Low Pay Commission recommended a 4.8% increase, and the government accepted that recommendation.

How the 2026 rate compares to 2025

The increase from €13.50 to €14.15 is €0.65 per hour — a 4.8% rise. The Workplace Relations Commission (WRC) publishes the 2026 age-band rates as:

  • Under 18: €9.91 per hour
  • Age 18: €11.32 per hour
  • Age 19: €12.74 per hour
  • Age 20+: €14.15 per hour

The catch: the threshold remains at 20, not 18, meaning younger workers get smaller absolute increases even as the headline rate climbs.

What is the minimum wage for younger workers in Ireland?

Under-18 rate (2025)

Workers under 18 receive 70% of the full adult minimum wage. For 2025, that’s €9.45 per hour, as detailed by the Workplace Relations Commission (WRC).

18-year-old rate (2025)

At 18, the rate jumps to 80% of the full minimum — €10.80 per hour in 2025.

19-year-old rate (2025)

At 19, it’s 90% — €12.15 per hour in 2025. Full adult pay only starts at age 20.

The pattern: a 19-year-old is legally an adult yet still earns €1.35 less per hour than a colleague who recently turned 20. Over a full year at 37.5 hours a week, that’s over €2,630 of forgone pay.

The trade-off

Employers benefit from lower payroll costs for younger staff. Workers under 20 face the trade-off: lower wages today in exchange for the rate increase at 20 — but bills don’t wait for a birthday.

What is a living wage and how does it differ from the minimum wage?

Definition of living wage

A living wage is calculated based on the actual cost of living in Ireland — covering housing, food, transport, healthcare, and a small buffer for unexpected expenses. Unlike the statutory minimum, it is not legally enforceable. Employers adopt it voluntarily. Living Wage Ireland (the independent body that calculates the rate) set the 2025/26 Living Wage at €15.40 per hour — an increase of €0.65 (4.4%) from the previous year’s €14.75.

Living Wage rate for 2025/26 in Ireland

That €15.40 figure sits significantly above the statutory minimum of €13.50. According to Social Justice Ireland (policy research organisation), the Living Wage is €1.90 above the then-current national minimum wage. The gap means a full-time minimum wage worker earning €13.50 falls short of what the independent calculation says is needed for a minimum acceptable standard of living.

The implication: employers face a voluntary benchmark almost 14% higher than the legal floor. For workers, the choice is between a guaranteed minimum and a recommended target that most employers don’t yet pay.

What this means: Ireland’s statutory minimum wage of €13.50 still leaves a full-time worker €1.90 short of the independently calculated Living Wage of €15.40, meaning the government’s legal floor fails to meet the cost-of-living benchmark set by Living Wage Ireland.

What is the minimum salary for a 37.5 hour week?

Calculating weekly minimum wage for standard working week

For a standard 37.5-hour working week at the adult rate:

  • 2025: 37.5 hours × €13.50 = €506.25 gross per week
  • 2026: 37.5 hours × €14.15 = €530.63 gross per week

Annualised (52 weeks): €26,325 in 2025, rising to €27,593 in 2026. That’s an extra €1,268 per year before tax for someone working full-time at the adult minimum wage.

The catch: for a single earner in Dublin, €26,325 falls below the threshold many landlords consider for rental affordability (typically 2.5–3× annual rent). The 2026 increase narrows but doesn’t close that gap.

Timeline: Minimum wage changes in Ireland

  • 1 January 2025: Minimum wage increases to €13.50 per hour (ages 20+)
  • 1 January 2026: Minimum wage increases to €14.15 per hour (ages 20+)
  • 2025/26: Living Wage (voluntary) set at €15.40 per hour by Living Wage Ireland

Quotes on Ireland’s minimum wage

The national minimum wage is €13.50 per hour for employees aged 20 and over.

— Citizens Information (official government information service)

The national minimum wage increases to €14.15 per hour for workers aged 20 and over from 1 January 2026.

— gov.ie, Department of Enterprise, Tourism and Employment (official government publication)

Additional sources

purpletree.ie, wageindicator.org, ibec.ie, thehrcompany.ie, leap29.com, sage.com

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Frequently asked questions

What is the minimum wage in Ireland for a casual worker?

Casual workers are entitled to the same national minimum wage as any other employee. If you’re aged 20 or over, that’s €13.50 per hour in 2025. Age-band rates apply if you’re under 20.

What is the minimum wage for a 17 year old in Ireland?

In 2025, the minimum wage for a 17-year-old falls under the under-18 rate of €9.45 per hour (70% of the full adult rate).

Is Sunday double pay required by law in Ireland?

Sunday double pay is not a statutory requirement under the National Minimum Wage Act. Whether you receive extra pay for Sunday work depends on your employment contract or industry-specific agreements.

What is the minimum wage in Ireland for a 37.5 hour week?

At the 2025 adult rate of €13.50, a 37.5-hour week gives €506.25 gross. In 2026, at €14.15, it rises to €530.63 gross per week.

How does the living wage differ from the minimum wage?

The minimum wage is a legal floor set by the government. The living wage is a voluntary benchmark calculated by Living Wage Ireland based on actual living costs — currently €15.40 per hour, significantly above the statutory minimum.

What is the minimum wage expected to be in 2027?

No rate has been announced for 2027 yet. The Low Pay Commission will make a recommendation, and the government will decide based on economic conditions and cost-of-living data.

Is €35,000 a good salary in Ireland?

€35,000 is above the minimum wage — roughly €17.95 per hour on a 37.5-hour week. Whether it’s “good” depends on location and household size. In Dublin, it’s modest; outside major cities, it’s more comfortable.

Related reading

For workers aged 20 and over earning the minimum wage, the 2026 increase adds about €1,268 extra per year before tax. That helps — but with the Living Wage sitting at €15.40, the gap between legal minimum and actual living costs remains the real story. For young workers under 20, the age-band system means they wait years to reach the full rate, losing thousands in the process. For employers, the steady upward march of the statutory minimum demands wage planning that goes beyond the next January. Anyone budgeting in Ireland must track their age-band entitlement, know the difference between minimum and living wage, and plan for at least one more increase ahead.