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Ireland
NEW RULES ON CONTRACTUAL RETIREMENT AGES TAKE EFFECT
The Employment (Contractual Retirement Ages) Act 2025 commenced on 29 June 2026. The Act adopts a consent-based approach to the issue of contractual retirement ages. It provides that where an employee is subject to a contractual retirement age (“CRA”) that is less than the pensionable age and does not consent to retire at the CRA, they must notify their employer in writing:
- at least three months but not more than one year before the date on which they would reach the CRA, or
- where the employer notification period is greater than three months, not less than the employer notification period or the period of six months, whichever is shorter.
Significantly, the Act introduces a new offence in respect of which both bodies corporate and inpiduals can be prosecuted. The Act provides that an employer who, without reasonable cause, fails to provide an employee with a reasoned written reply will be guilty of an offence and liable on summary conviction to a class A fine (a fine not exceeding €5,000) or imprisonment for up to 12 months or both.
The revised Code of Practice on Longer Working also came into effect on 29 June 2026. The purpose of the updated Code is to provide guidance to employers, employees and their representatives on the best principles and practices to follow during engagement between employers and employees in the run up to retirement.
For more information on the changes introduced by the Act and the updated Code, see our detailed briefing here: Contractual retirement ages: What employers need to know.
CABINET APPROVES PUBLICATION OF PREGNANCY LOSS LEAVE BILL
The Cabinet approved the publication of the General Scheme of the Pregnancy Loss Leave Bill 2026. The proposed legislation would introduce, for the first time in Irish law, a statutory entitlement to five days’ paid leave per year for an employee who experiences pregnancy loss before 23 weeks’ gestation. Employees who experience a stillbirth from 23 weeks’ gestation are already entitled to maternity leave under existing legislation.
The leave would be a day-one employment right, although payment would be subject to a 13-week service requirement. It would have to be taken within 56 weeks of the pregnancy loss and would require medical certification. Payment would be made by the employer at the same rate as statutory sick pay: 70% of the employee’s gross normal earnings, capped at €110 per day.
For more information on the Heads of Bill, see our Insights Blog post here: Cabinet approves publication of Pregnancy Loss Leave Bill.
GENDER PAY GAP PORTAL NOW PUBLICLY AVAILABLE
The Government has made the Gender Pay Gap Portal publicly available. The Portal enables users to view, compare and review employer gender pay gap data, with filters available by reporting year, sector and company size. Its introduction is intended to centralise and standardise employer reporting, improve transparency and comparability, and support behavioural change by making gender pay disparities more visible.
For more information on the Portal, see our Insights Blog post here: Gender Pay Gap Portal now publicly available.
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