Agreement was reached between the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform and the Public Services Committee of the Irish Congress of Trade Unions in November 2011 on the standardisation of public service annual and related leave allowances. The agreement provided that the number of days annual leave to apply, in respect of serving personnel and all sectors of the public service, would range from a minimum of twenty-two to a maximum of thirty-two days.
Under the agreement serving staff, while they remain in their existing grades, retain the annual leave allowance appropriate to their grade subject to not exceeding the overall ceiling of thirty-two days. Given that the level of annual leave across local authorities varied before the agreement the following range of annual leave entitlements now applies.
Grade
|
Annual Leave Days Range
|
County Manager
|
32
|
Director of Service
|
32
|
Senior Executive Officer / Senior Engineer and analogous grades
|
32
|
Senior Executive Engineer/Administrative Officer and analogous grades
|
31 — 32
|
Senior Staff Officer/Executive Engineer and analogous grades
|
30 — 32
|
Staff Officer/Graduate Engineer and analogous grades
|
27 — 32
|
Assistant Staff Officer and analogous grades
|
26 — 32
|
Clerical Officer and analogous grades
|
23 — 31
|
Craft Workers, General Operatives and Related Grades
|
23 — 32
|
Prior to the November 2011 Agreement the annual leave entitlements for local authority staff were as follows:
Grade
|
Annual and Privilege Days Range
|
County Manager
|
33-44
|
Director of Service
|
33-44
|
Senior Executive Officer / Senior Engineer and analogous grades
|
33-44
|
Administrative Officer / Senior Executive Engineer and analogous grades
|
31-36
|
Senior Staff Officer / Executive Engineer and analogous grades
|
30-36
|
Staff Officer / Graduate Engineer and analogous grades
|
27-34
|
Assistant Staff Officer and analogous grades
|
26-33
|
Clerical Officer and analogous grades
|
23-31
|
Craft Workers, General Operatives and related grades
|
23-32
|
All County and City Managers implemented a maximum of thirty-two days annual leave with effect from April, 2011. The revised arrangements were implemented in the local authority sector as provided for in the agreement and have come into place with effect from the leave year commencing January, 2012. The agreement also provides for the introduction of standardised leave bands for new entrants and promotees which will range from a minimum of twenty-two days to a maximum of thirty days.