Ireland: Government announces new public holidays

On 07 February 2022, Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment Leo Varadkar announced the signing of a decree introducing two new public holidays. The first, which is a once-off public holiday (a Day of Remembrance and Recognition) is fixed for 18 March 2022, and is dedicated to frontline workers, along with the remembrance of those who lost their lives to the Covid-19 pandemic. “It will also recognise, and say thank you, to the volunteers, the Irish people, and to all the workers who gave their all in the fight against COVID,” said the Tánaiste. From 2023, a new annual public holiday will be set as the first Monday of February in honour of St Brigid of Ireland (Christian festival), and to mark ‘Imbolg’, the start of the Celtic New Year. Employees in Ireland who work on these holidays will be entitled either to a day off in lieu or to double pay. Ireland will now have 10 public holidays and although matching the UK, the number is still below the EU average of 12 public holidays per year. In the face of inflation, the Tánaiste also called on employers at the end of January to increase low wages.