If you work in Ireland’s public service, you have probably heard about the pay deal covering the next couple of years – but the details can feel like a maze of percentages and dates. This agreement, reached between the government and unions in early 2024, lays out exactly when your salary will increase through 2026.
Pay increase on 1 March 2025: 2% or €1,000 (whichever is greater) ·
Pay increase on 1 August 2025: 1% ·
Local bargaining phase 1 starts: 1 September 2025 ·
Pay increase on 1 October 2026: 1% or €500 (whichever is greater) ·
Duration of agreement: 2024–2026 (multi-year)
Quick snapshot
- Deal runs from 1 January 2024 to 30 June 2026 (Fórsa trade union)
- General round increases: 2.25% (Jan 2024), 1% (June 2024), 1% or €500 (Oct 2024) (Fórsa FAQs)
- 2025 increases: 2% or €1,000 (March), 1% (August) (Fórsa FAQs)
- 2026 increases: 1% or €500 (Feb), 1% (June) (TUI teachers’ union)
- Exact local bargaining terms for each sector (e.g., NJC support staff) are yet to be finalised (INTO teachers’ union FAQs)
- Whether the deferred 2% local bargaining balance will roll into the next agreement remains open (INTO FAQs)
- Impact of inflation on the successor deal after 2026 is unknown (RTÉ national broadcaster)
- Ratified in March 2024 (Fórsa)
- 1 March 2025: first 2025 increase lands ((Fórsa))
- 1 September 2025: local bargaining begins (INTO FAQs)
- Deal expired June 2026; talks for successor not yet begun (RTÉ)
- Local bargaining phase 1 begins 1 September 2025 (INTO FAQs)
- Final general round increase on 1 October 2026 (INTO FAQs)
- Successor agreement negotiations expected from mid-2026 (RTÉ)
The table below distills the core mechanics of the deal into five essential data points for quick reference.
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Agreement duration | 2024–2026 |
| Total general increase 2025 | 3% (2% + 1%) |
| Total general increase 2026 | 1% |
| Local bargaining trigger | 1 September 2025 |
| Ratification date | March 2024 |
What is the 2024-2026 Public Sector Pay Agreement?
This is a multi-year pay deal negotiated between the Irish government and public service unions covering roughly 385,000 workers – including nurses, teachers, gardaí, and civil servants (Adare HRM consultancy). It sets out scheduled salary increases from 1 January 2024 through to 30 June 2026, aiming to provide cost-of-living relief while keeping public finances predictable.
Key terms of the agreement
- Overall basic pay increases of up to 10.25% over the lifetime of the deal (Fórsa).
- General round increases for 2025 (2% or €1,000 in March, 1% in August) and 2026 (1% or €500 in February, 1% in June) (Fórsa FAQs).
- A local bargaining clause allowing negotiation of additional pay terms for specific grades or groups, worth up to an extra 3% of pay costs (Adare HRM).
The implication: this is not a flat raise – it is a staggered series of increases with sector-specific wiggle room built in.
Which workers are covered?
The agreement applies to all sectors of the Irish public service: health (nurses, doctors via INMO (Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation)), education (teachers via INTO and TUI (Teachers’ Union of Ireland)), local government, and civil service. The deal covers full-time, part-time, and temporary staff on public service pay scales.
How was the deal ratified?
Union ballots closed in March 2024 with Fórsa, SIPTU, INTO and INMO all voting in favour (Fórsa). The agreement then came into effect from 1 January 2024 – backdated to cover the first three months of the year.
The pattern: strong union buy-in gives the deal legitimacy and makes industrial action unlikely during its term.
What pay rise can I expect in 2025?
2025 brings two general round increases plus the start of local bargaining, making it the most active year under the agreement.
March 2025 increase: 2% or €1,000
From 1 March 2025, you will receive whichever is greater – a 2% increase on your annualised basic salary or a flat increase of €1,000 (Fórsa FAQs). For lower-paid staff earning around €35,000–€40,000, the €1,000 floor provides a bigger proportional boost than 2% would.
August 2025 increase: 1%
A second general round increase of 1% applies from 1 August 2025 (Fórsa FAQs). Combined with the March increase, total general round pay growth for 2025 reaches 3%.
Local bargaining phase from September 2025
From 1 September 2025, local bargaining begins. This is a separate process where sectoral groups negotiate additional pay terms – the first instalment is described by INTO as equivalent to 1% of basic pay costs (INTO FAQs). The remaining 2% from the 3% local bargaining pool is deferred to a future agreement.
What this means: lower-paid workers benefit most from the March floor, while higher earners still see a meaningful percentage rise. Local bargaining opens the door for further sector-specific deals later.
The first local bargaining instalment kicks in on 1 September 2025, but its exact value varies by sector — the 1% figure is a cost-of-employment benchmark, not a guaranteed individual raise. Workers in NJC roles should monitor their sectoral negotiations closely.
What is the pay increase in 2026?
2026 wraps up the agreement with a smaller general round increase, leaving the larger deferred balance for the next negotiation.
October 2026 increase: 1% or €500
A general round increase of 1% or €500 (whichever is greater) applies from 1 October 2026 (Fórsa FAQs). This replaces the previously scheduled February and June dates from the original plan, consolidating them into one autumn payment (TUI).
Remaining balance deferred to successor agreement
The 2% balance from the local bargaining pool has not been cancelled – it is explicitly deferred to the successor agreement (INTO FAQs). This means the next round of talks, likely starting in late 2026, will pick up where this deal leaves off.
The catch: with the agreement expiring in June 2026 and formal negotiations yet to begin as of July 2026 (RTÉ), a pay gap between the last increase and any future deal may leave workers waiting.
Irish public servants get guaranteed, phased pay rises through 2026 – but the 2% local bargaining deferral means the most significant sector-specific gains are pushed into the next political cycle.
When will the public sector pay increases be paid?
Knowing the exact dates avoids confusion – increases are applied from the effective date, not backdated.
Payment dates for 2025
- 1 March 2025: 2% or €1,000 increase takes effect (Fórsa FAQs).
- 1 August 2025: additional 1% increase takes effect.
- 1 September 2025: first local bargaining instalment (sector-specific) begins (INTO FAQs).
Payment dates for 2026
- 1 October 2026: 1% or €500 increase takes effect (Fórsa FAQs).
How is the increase applied to salaries?
Increases are applied to your annualised basic salary – that is your base pay without overtime or allowances (INMO). If you are part-time, you receive the same percentage increase, but the flat-rate floors (€1,000, €500) are pro-rated proportionally.
Why this matters: the flat-rate floor is a significant benefit for lower-paid support staff, but part-time workers should check their exact pro-rata calculation with payroll.
Has the local government pay offer been accepted in 2025?
Yes – the local government pay offer for 2025, part of the broader 2024-2026 agreement, was accepted by unions representing local authority staff.
Status of local government pay offer
Unions including Fórsa and SIPTU ratified the deal for local government workers, meaning the same general round increases and local bargaining provisions apply to council staff, housing officers, and administrative grades (Adare HRM). The local bargaining element for this sector will be negotiated from September 2025 onward.
NJC support staff pay 2026
For NJC (National Joint Council) support staff – locally-employed school and council support workers – the 2024-2026 agreement provides the same general round increases. The NJC sectoral team will negotiate their specific local bargaining terms, with the first 1% instalment due from September 2025 (INTO FAQs).
The pattern: local government workers are fully covered by the national framework, but their exact additional local terms remain an open negotiation.
Timeline of the 2024-2026 Public Sector Pay Deal
- January 2024: Public Service Pay Agreement 2024-2026 drafted and proposed.
- March 2024: Agreement ratified by unions (Fórsa, SIPTU, INTO, INMO) (Fórsa).
- 1 March 2025: First general round increase: 2% or €1,000 (Fórsa FAQs).
- 1 August 2025: Second general round increase: 1% (Fórsa FAQs).
- 1 September 2025: Local bargaining phase 1 begins (INTO FAQs).
- 1 October 2026: Final general round increase: 1% or €500 (Fórsa FAQs).
- 2027 onwards: Successor agreement negotiations expected (RTÉ).
For health sector workers covered by the deal, HSE salary scales provide the full breakdown of pay increases under the agreement.
Frequently asked questions
Who is eligible for the public sector pay increase in 2025?
All public servants covered by the 2024-2026 agreement – nurses, doctors, teachers, gardaí, civil servants, and local authority staff – are eligible. The rates apply regardless of your pay grade, though the flat-rate floors benefit lower earners most (INMO).
What is local bargaining in the public sector pay deal?
Local bargaining is a clause allowing sector-specific groups (e.g., NJC support staff, local authority grades) to negotiate additional pay terms beyond the general round increase. The first instalment is worth 1% of basic pay costs from September 2025 (INTO FAQs).
Will the pay increases be backdated?
No – each increase is effective from its specified date. There is no provision for backdating. The 2024 increases were applied from 1 January 2024, with the first payment arriving after ratification in March 2024 (Fórsa).
How does the 2024-2026 agreement affect new employees?
New employees are placed on the relevant pay scale from their start date and receive the same general round increases on the same schedule. Their salary progression (increments) runs separately from these pay rises (Adare HRM).
Are there any additional allowances or bonuses included?
The deal covers basic pay only. Allowances and overtime are not automatically adjusted. However, the local bargaining pool may be used to address sector-specific allowances in some areas (Adare HRM).
What happens after the agreement expires in 2026?
The deal expires on 30 June 2026. As of July that year, formal talks on a successor agreement had not yet begun (RTÉ). The deferred 2% local bargaining balance will be addressed in those future negotiations.
Can local government workers opt out of the deal?
Individual workers cannot opt out – the agreement is collective and covers all grades in local government. Pay rises are applied automatically to salaries once ratified by the relevant unions and employers (Adare HRM).
For Irish public servants, the 2024-2026 pay deal delivers guaranteed, phased increases through 2026 – with a clear floor for lower earners. The open question is the local bargaining element: the first 1% is rolling out from September 2025, but the remaining 2% (and any sector-specific gains) waits on successor talks. For nurses covered by INMO and teachers under INTO, the next step is to engage in sectoral negotiations, or risk seeing the deferred balance slip into the next political term.