Changes to legislation: as of 3 September 2024, this Act is up to date with all changes known to be in force.
This Revised Act is an administrative consolidation of the National Minimum Wage Act 2000. It is prepared by the Law Reform Commission in accordance with its function under the Law Reform Commission Act 1975 (3/1975) to keep the law under review and to undertake revision and consolidation of statute law.
All Acts up to and including the Electoral (Amendment) Act 2023 (40/2023), enacted 19 December 2023, and all statutory instruments up to and including the Income Tax (Employments) Regulations 2024 (S.I. No. 1 of 2024), made 4 Jauary 2024, were considered in the preparation of this Revised Act.
Disclaimer: While every care has been taken in the preparation of this Revised Act, the Law Reform Commission can assume no responsibility for and give no guarantees, undertakings or warranties concerning the accuracy, completeness or up to date nature of the information provided and does not accept any liability whatsoever arising from any errors or omissions. Please notify any errors, omissions and comments by email to
Number 5 of 2000
NATIONAL MINIMUM WAGE ACT 2000
Updated to 1 January 2024
ARRANGEMENT OF SECTIONS
Working Hours and Pay Reference Period
National Minimum Hourly Rate of Pay
Declaration and Review of National Minimum Hourly Rate of Pay
Entitlement of Employee to Payment and Sub-minimum Rates
Calculation of Minimum Hourly Rate of Pay
Records and Statement of Average Hourly Earnings
Disputes about Entitlement and Enforcement
Hearing of Disputes
Inspectors and Inspections
Offences and Enforcement
Acts Referred to
Bankruptcy Act, 1988
Civil Service Regulation Act, 1956
Companies Act, 1963
Courts Act, 1981
Employment Equality Act, 1977
Industrial Relations Act, 1946
Industrial Relations Act, 1990
Industrial Relations Acts, 1946 to 1990
Industrial Training Act, 1967
Labour Services Act, 1987
Local Government Act, 1941
Maternity Protection Act, 1994
Minimum Notice and Terms of Employment Acts, 1973 to 1991
Organisation of Working Time Act, 1997
Payment of Wages Act, 1991
Parental Leave Act, 1998
Petty Sessions (Ireland) Act, 1851
14 & 15 Vict., c. 9
Protection of Employees (Employers’ Insolvency) Act, 1984
Protection of Employees (Employers’ Insolvency) Acts, 1984 to 1991
Redundancy Payments Acts, 1967 to 1991
Taxes Consolidation Act, 1997
Terms of Employment (Information) Act, 1994
Trade Union Act, 1941
Unfair Dismissals Act, 1977
Unfair Dismissals Acts, 1977 to 1993
Worker Protection (Regular Part-Time Employees) Act, 1991
Number 5 of 2000
NATIONAL MINIMUM WAGE ACT 2000
Updated to 1 January 2024
AN ACT TO PROVIDE FOR THE DETERMINATION, DECLARATION AND REVIEW OF A NATIONAL MINIMUM HOURLY RATE OF PAY FOR EMPLOYEES, THE ENTITLEMENT OF EMPLOYEES TO REMUNERATION FOR EMPLOYMENT AT A RATE NOT LESS THAN OR CALCULATED BY REFERENCE TO THAT NATIONAL MINIMUM HOURLY RATE, THE CALCULATION OF EMPLOYEES’ ENTITLEMENTS, THE SETTLEMENT OF DISPUTES RELATING TO SUCH ENTITLEMENTS, THE ENFORCEMENT AND RECOVERY OF WAGES, THE IMPOSITION OF PENALTIES FOR BREACHES OF THIS ACT, THE AMENDMENT OF THE TERMS OF EMPLOYMENT (INFORMATION) ACT, 1994, THE ORGANISATION OF WORKING TIME ACT, 1997, AND THE PROTECTION OF EMPLOYEES (EMPLOYERS’ INSOLVENCY) ACT, 1984, AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES. [31st March, 2000]
BE IT ENACTED BY THE OIREACHTAS AS FOLLOWS:
Annotations
Modifications (not altering text):
Functions transferred and references construed (14.10.2020) by Employment Affairs and Employment Law (Transfer of Departmental Administration and Ministerial Functions) Order 2020 (S.I. No. 438 of 2020), arts. 2, 3(1)(a), (2) and sch., in effect as per art. 1(2), subject to transitional provisions in arts. 4-8.
2. (1) The administration and business in connection with the exercise, performance or execution of any functions transferred by Article 3 are transferred to the Department of Business, Enterprise and Innovation.
(2) References to the Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection contained in any Act or any instrument made under such Act and relating to any administration and business transferred by paragraph (1) shall, on and after the commencement of this Order, be construed as references to the Department of Business, Enterprise and Innovation.
3. (1) The functions vested in the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection -
(a) by or under the Acts specified in Part 1 of the Schedule and the provisions of the Acts specified in Part 2 of the Schedule, and
are transferred to the Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation.
(2) References to the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection contained in any Act or instrument made under such Act and relating to any functions transferred by this Article shall, on and after the commencement of this Order, be construed as references to the Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation.
ACTS OF THE OIREACHTAS
National Minimum Wage Act 2000 (No. 5 of 2000)
Editorial Notes:
Collectively cited National Minimum Wage Acts 2000 and 2015 included in definitions of “employment enactment” and “relevant enactment” (1.08.2015) by Workplace Relations Act 2015 (16/2015), s. 2 and sch. 1 part 1 item 7, S.I. No. 338 of 2015, with the following effects:
• Authorised officers or inspectors under employment enactments deemed to be appointed under Workplace Relations Act 2015 (16/2015), s. 26(2) and subject to termination under s. 26(4).
• Powers of inspectors for purposes of relevant enactments defined in Workplace Relations Act 2015 (16/2015), s. 27.
• Workplace Relations Commission, an inspector or an adjudication officer authorised to disclose employer’s registered number or employee’s PPSN to enable Labour Court to perform functions under relevant enactments by Workplace Relations Act 2015 (16/2015) s. 31(5).
• Power of Workplace Relations Commission and official body to disclose information to each other concerning the commission of offence under relevant enactment provided by Workplace Relations Act 2015 (16/2015), s. 32.
• Power of Workplace Relations Commission and contracting authority to disclose information to each other concerning the commission of offence under employment enactment/ relevant enactment provided by Workplace Relations Act 2015 (16/2015), s. 33.
• Powers of Minister to prosecute under relevant enactments transferred to Workplace Relations Commission and references construed by Workplace Relations Act 2015 (16/2015), s. 37.
• Functions of EAT to hear claims under employment enactments transferred to Workplace Relations Commission and references to EAT construed by Workplace Relations Act 2015 (16/2015) s. 66(1), (2).
Previous affecting provision: functions transferred and “Minister for” and “Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation” construed (1.09.2017) by Labour Affairs and Labour Law (Transfer of Departmental Administration and Ministerial Functions) Order 2017 (S.I. No. 361 of 2017), arts. 2, 3, 6-8, in effect as per art. 1(2), subject to transitional provisions in arts. 4, 5; superseded as per C-note above.