Table of contents
- 1. Annual Leave
- 2. Sick Leave
- 3. Maternity Leave
- 4. Adoptive Leave
- 5. Breastfeeding Breaks
- 6. Paternity Leave
- 7. Parent's Leave
- 8. Parental Leave
- 9. Force Majeure Leave
- 10. Carer's Leave
- 11. Leave for Medical Care Purposes
- 12. Domestic Violence Leave
- 13. Special and other leave
- 14. Career Break Scheme
- 15. Civil Service Worksharing Scheme
The entitlement to Annual Leave in the Civil Service is outlined in the Organisation of Working Time Act (1997) and Circular 08/2023 - Annual Leave in the Civil Service. This Circular consolidated revisions to annual leave allowances which were introduced subsequent to the issue of Circular 27/2003, as well as a number of letters. Additionally, this Circular sets out the revised provisions in relation to the carryover of annual leave and also outlines the entitlements in relation to the accrual of annual leave while on sick leave.
New Carryover of Annual Leave Rules
Carryover of Non-Statutory Annual Leave
Any non-statutory annual leave accrued during a leave year may be carried forward into the following year in accordance with the provisions of Circular 08/2023.
Any non-statutory annual leave carried over must be used in the year into which it has been carried; if not, it will be forfeited. As per the section below (“Sequencing”), any non-statutory annual leave carried over from the previous year will automatically be used before the leave accrued in the current year. This will facilitate a system whereby any leave carried over at the end of one year, must be used in the following annual leave year.
This same process can repeat each year, creating a continuous cycle in which there is always the facility for any non-statutory annual leave that is accrued in a given year to be carried over once, to be used the following year. This is the only leave category that will automatically carry over at the end of each year if not availed of.
Carryover of Statutory Annual Leave
In line with the OWTA 1997, an officer is required to avail of all of their statutory annual leave within the leave year in which it accrues.
If in exceptional circumstances, a case arises whereby an officer cannot take all of their statutory annual leave within the leave year due to business reasons, then the employer can allow the officer to carry over their statutory annual leave for it to be taken within the first six months of the following leave year. This leave, if not used within the first 6 months, will automatically be forfeited. It is expected that such occurrences should be rare, as regular discussions between line managers and officers should facilitate the taking of annual leave throughout the year in line with business needs.
As per the section below (“Sequencing”) any statutory annual leave carried over from the previous year will be the first category of annual leave that gets used.
Sequencing: Order in which Annual Leave will be taken
In a given annual leave year, the following is the order in which the various categories of annual leave will be used.
Statutory annual leave entitlement which has been carried over due to exceptional circumstances (see above section), as agreed between officer and line manager. (Note: This has to be used within first six months of the year as per the OWTA 1997).
Any non-statutory annual leave which has been carried over from the previous year, as allowed under the circular.
Statutory annual leave entitlement accrued during the current leave year.
Any non-statutory annual leave which has been accrued during the current leave year.
Transition to the New Carryover of Annual Leave Rules
The new carryover rules will come into effect for each of the different leave calendars facilitated by the NSSO commencing in 2024.
Further information in relation to the updated carryover arrangements and transitional arrangements can be found on NSSO.gov.ie
The Public Service Management (Recruitment and Appointments) (Amendment) Act 2013 gives the Minister for Public Expenditure, NDP and Reform the power to make regulations that will set out specific details of the new Sick Leave Scheme for the Public Service.
The details of this Scheme are set out in:
- Public Service Management (Sick Leave) Regulations 2014 (S.I 124 of 2014)
- Public Service Management (Sick Leave) (Amendment) Regulations 2015 (S.I 384 of 2015)
- Public Service Management (Sick Leave) (Amendment) Regulations 2023 (S.I 407 of 2023)
- Circular 12/2023: Management of Sick Leave in the Civil Service
Sick Leave in the Civil Service
The administrative arrangements for sick leave in the Civil Service are set out in Circular 12/2023 and must be read in conjunction with the Regulations.
Arrangements for Paid Sick Leave Circular12/2023
Paid sick leave
The scheme provides for the payment of the following to staff during periods of absence from work due to illness or injury:
- A maximum of 92 days on full pay in a rolling one year period
- Followed by a maximum of 91 days on half pay in a rolling one year period
- Subject to a maximum of 183 days paid sick leave in a rolling four year period
Temporary Rehabilitation Remuneration
Temporary Rehabilitation Remuneration (TRR) was formerly referred to as Pension Rate of Pay (PRP)
The rate of TRR is 37.5% of the remuneration that would otherwise accrue to the civil servant were they not on sick leave.
A waiting period of 3 days shall apply to each instance of absence to which TRR applies before payment can be made, except in the following circumstances;
- Where the civil servant transitions from full pay or half pay to TRR during an ongoing absence, or
- Where the absence occurs under the provisions of the Critical Illness Protocol (CIP).
TRR will only be payable when there is a realistic prospect of an civil servant returning to work and the civil servant concerned must have accrued two years’ service;. TRR can be paid up to 547 days under ordinary sick leave arrangements.
Critical Illness Provisions (CIP)
In recognition of the fact that, sometimes, a longer period of sick leave can be required to address a critical illness or serious physical injury, there is provision for the following to apply in exceptional circumstances:
- A maximum of 183 days on full pay in a rolling one year period
- Followed by a maximum of 182 days on half pay in a rolling one year period
- Subject to a maximum of 365 days paid sick leave in a rolling four year period
There will be access to TRR under the CIP as follows:
- 365 days on TRR
- a further period not exceeding 730 days may be granted in cases where the Chief Medical Officer (CMO) has confirmed that there is a reasonable prospect of return to work. Such cases must be directly linked to the critical illness and will normally follow a continuous period of long term sick leave. This is subject to six monthly reviews.
Granting of Critical Illness Provisions
The decision to grant extended paid sick leave for a critical illness, injury or condition is made by the HR Manager in the Department/Office and is based on medical advice from the CMO and all the circumstances of the case.
The Critical Illness Protocol (CIP) sets out the criteria which must be met in order to be granted access to critical illness provisions.
The Occupational Physician, (the Chief Medical Officer), will advise whether, in their opinion, the following criteria are met:
- The employee is medically unfit to return to his or her current duties or (where practicable) modified duties in the same pay grade
- The nature of this medical condition has at least one of the following characteristics:
- Acute life threatening physical illness
- Chronic progressive illness, with well-established potential to reduce life expectancy
- Major physical trauma ordinarily requiring corrective acute operative surgical treatment
- In-patient or day hospital care of ten consecutive days or greater.
Civil servants who wish to apply for CIP must fill out a CIP Application Form and submit it to their HR Manager.
Further information and information on ‘How to Apply’ for this leave type can be found on nsso.gov.ie
Civil Service Sick Leave Statistics
Following a review of the approach to the monitoring of sick leave across the public sector, it has been decided that any future reporting of sick leave for the Public Service should now be the focus of each individual sector who are best placed to respond to their own workplace absence levels. Presently the Civil Service does not publish sick leave statistics however previous published statistics are available below.
Civil Service Sick Leave Statistics 2019
Civil Service Rates of Sick Leave 2019
Public Service Sick Leave Statistics
The Public Service Sick Leave Statistics for 2018 show the rate of sick leave is 4.2% and on average 9.2 working days were taken per Full-Time Equivalent (FTE) in the Public Service.
Public Sick Leave Statistics 2018
The overall cost of sick leave in the Public Service is estimated at €381.5million for 2018 which represents a cumulative saving of €156.4 million since 2013.
Detailed Statistics and Trends for 2018 show sick leave rates since the introduction of the Public Service Sick Leave Scheme which came into effect in the majority of sectors on 31st March 2014 and the Education Sector on 1st September 2014.
Please see also Public Service Sick Leave Statistics for 2018, 2017, 2016, 2015, 2014 and 2013.
Rates of sick leave for the Civil Service broken down by organisation are also available for 2018, 2017, 2016, 2015, 2014 and 2013.
The Department of Public Expenditure and Reform carried out a comprehensive review of the operation of the Scheme and this was completed in July 2016 and made 17 recommendations for change.
Consultations in relation to the recommendations for change between DPER and the Public Sector Unions and Associations took place from September 2016 to Jun 2018.
Recommendations of the Review, other than those that went before the Labour Court in November 2018, have been agreed to by the Public Sector Unions and Associations
The matters before the Court were elements of the Sick Leave Scheme that were not standardised in 2014 when the Scheme was first introduced.
The outcome on the standardisation of these elements of the Scheme was the subject of a Labour Court ruling in November 2018 and these Changes have now been implemented across the Public Service.
Further information in relation to these amendments is available through the Support Materials regarding Public Service Management (Sick Leave) (Amendment) Regulations 2023.
Useful documents
Arrangements for Paid Sick Leave Circular 12/2023
Maternity leave is a statutory leave entitlement which is provided for in the Maternity Protection Acts, 1994 & 2004 and the circulars listed below.
At present, maternity leave consists of twenty six consecutive weeks of paid leave with an option to avail of further sixteen weeks unpaid additional maternity leave.
Time in lieu for public holidays that occur during maternity leave will apply directly after the period of maternity leave.
Pregnant staff are entitled to such paid time off from duty as is necessary for attendance at ante-natal and post-natal clinics. Please see paragraph 4 of Circular 35/1995: Maternity Leave for further information in this regard.
The period of paid maternity leave counts as service in all respects. The period of unpaid additional maternity leave counts as service for promotion, increment, and public holidays but not for remuneration and superannuation purposes.
In general, a minimum of two weeks maternity leave must be taken before the date of confinement and at least four weeks after the date of confinement.
Officers appointed on or after 6 April 1995 when absent on paid maternity leave, are required to make the necessary claims for maternity benefit to the Department of Social within the required time limits and to comply with whatever requirements are laid down by that Department as a condition of claiming benefit. Full details of the requirements and conditions for making claims can be found on the DSP website.
Further information and information in relation to ‘How to Apply’ for this leave type can be found on NSSO.gov.ie
Maternity Leave
Maternity Leave Circular 0035/1995
Extension of Maternity and Adoptive Leave Circular 0009/2001
Implementation of the Regulations of the Maternity Protection Amendment Act 2004 Circular 0031/2006
Maternity Leave to cover premature births in the Civil Service Circular 0010/2019
Adoptive leave is a statutory leave entitlement which is provided for in the Adoptive Leave Acts, 1995 & 2005 and the circulars listed below.
At present, adoptive leave consists of twenty four consecutive weeks of paid leave with an option to avail of a further sixteen consecutive weeks of unpaid additional adoptive leave. This leave can be availed if you are a parent who is adopting alone or as part of an adopting couple.
The period of paid adoptive leave counts as service in all respects. The period of unpaid additional adoptive leave counts as service for promotion, increment, and public holidays but not for remuneration and superannuation purposes.
Time off to attend certain preparation / pre-adoption classes and meetings, or possible flexitime adjustments in the context of arranging foreign adoptions may also be availed of. Civil servants should consult their local HR unit for further information in this regard.
Officers appointed on or after 6 April 1995 are required to make the necessary claims for adoptive benefit to the Department of Social Protection within the required time limits and to comply with whatever requirements are laid down by that Department as a condition of claiming benefit. Further information regarding Adoptive Benefit can be found on the DSP website.
Further information and information in relation to ‘How to Apply’ for this leave type can be found on the NSSO.gov.ie website.
Adoptive Leave
Adoptive Leave Circular 02/1997
If you are working and breastfeeding, you are entitled to take 1 hour off work (with pay) each day as a breastfeeding break for up to 2 years (104 weeks) after the birth of your child.
This time may be taken as:
- One 60 minute break
- Two 30 minute breaks
- Three 20 minute breaks
Part-time workers are also entitled to breastfeeding breaks, calculated on a pro-rata basis.
Information in relation to breastfeeding breaks can be found in Circular 31/06: Implementation of the Regulations of the Maternity Protection (Amendment) Act 2004).
Civil servants who wish to avail of these breaks should consult their local HR unit for further information.
Paternity leave is a statutory leave entitlement which is provided for under the Paternity Leave and Benefit Act 2016 and Circular 18/2016 for children born or, in the case of adoption, placed, on or after 1 September 2016.
Only one person who is a relevant parent to the child may apply for paternity leave. These are:
- The father of the child
- The partner (spouse, civil partner or cohabitant) of the mother of the child
- The parent of a donor-conceived child
At present, paternity leave consists of two consecutive weeks of paid leave, starting on the date of the birth/placement or any time in the first 6 months after the baby's birth. The leave is for a maximum of two weeks, regardless of the number of children born.
Time in lieu for public holidays that occur during paternity leave will apply directly after the period of paternity leave.
Additionally, expectant fathers shall be entitled once only to time off from work, without loss of pay, for the purpose of attending the last two ante-natal classes attended by the expectant mother before the birth of the child.
The period of paid paternity leave counts as service in all respects.
Details in relation to paternity benefit and the application process can be found on the DSP website.
Further information and information on ‘How to Apply’ for this leave type can be found on NSSO.gov.ie
The Parent’s Leave and Benefit Act 2019 provides seven weeks parent’s leave to each relevant parent during the first 2 years of a child’s life, or in the case of adoption, within 2 years of the placement of the child with the family. Parent’s leave and benefit will be extended by 2 weeks to 9 weeks from August 2024.
Parent's leave is not applicable to children born or placed prior to 1 November 2019.
A relevant parent is one of the following:
- A parent of the child
- A spouse, civil partner or cohabitant of the parent of the child
- A parent of a donor-conceived child as provided for under section 5 of the Children and Family Relationships Act 2015
- The adopting parent or parents of a child
- The spouse, civil partner or spouse of the adopting parent of the child (if the parents have not adopted jointly).
This leave is salary affected, as the Civil Service does not pay a salary top up for officers availing of this leave. Officers availing of parent’s leave may apply to the Department of Social Protection (DSP) for Parent’s Benefit to receive a benefit payment while on this leave. Further information regarding Parent’s Benefit can be found on the DSP website.
Further information and information on ‘How to Apply’ for this leave type can be found on NSSO.gov.ie
Circular 20/2008 – Parental leave in the Civil Service provides a summary of the main provisions of the Parental Leave Acts and is the authoritative guidance on all aspects of the parental leave scheme as it applies in the Civil Service.
Parental Leave is a statutory entitlement which is provided for in Parental Leave Act 1998 and the Parental Leave (Amendment) Act 2006, which allows the parent of a child, born or adopted, to take unpaid leave for up to 26 working weeks for the purpose of caring for each eligible child.
Up until recently, the maximum age of the child in respect of whom civil servants may take parental leave was thirteen years of age. However, it has now been decided to increase the maximum age to sixteen years of age in all cases including for parents of children with a disability or long-term illness and in the case of adoption. What this change means is that all officers who have unused parental leave now have until their child’s sixteenth birthday to avail of this leave. There is no change to the amount of leave that can be availed of. The letter which outlines this new provision can be found on Gov.ie
Those who are in loco parentis may also be entitled to avail of Parental Leave. Parental Leave is available to civil servants who have one year’s continuous service, but it will also be allowed, on a reduced basis, to staff who have more than three months but less than twelve months continuous service.
Parental Leave may be taken as one continuous period of 26 weeks, or as shorter periods together amounting to 26 weeks. This entitlement is reduced pro-rata in cases where the parent is availing of worksharing arrangements.
14 weeks of the 26 weeks Parental Leave entitlements may be transferred from one parent to another if both parents are employed by the same employer (the Civil Service is deemed a single employer for this purpose), subject to the employer’s agreement.
An officer who falls ill while on parental leave and as a result is unable to care for the child, e.g. hospitalisation, may suspend the parental leave for the duration of the illness following which period the parental leave recommences.
While the Parental Leave Act does not confer an entitlement to remuneration and superannuation benefits, an officer on parental leave is deemed to be in employment. The absence will therefore count as service for promotion, increment and annual leave.
Further information and information on ‘How to Apply’ for this leave type can be found on NSSO.gov.ie
Force Majeure Leave (i.e. paid ‘emergency’ leave)
Circular 05/2010: Force Majeure and other Urgent Family Reasons Leave, outlines the entitlement to force majeure leave, which like Parental Leave, is provided for in the Parental Leave Act 1998 and the Parental Leave (Amendment) Acts 2006 & 2019.
Force Majeure leave means that all employees have a limited right to paid time off (three days in any period of twelve consecutive months and five days in any period of thirty six consecutive months) for urgent family reasons owing to accident/illness of an immediate relative, or of a person “in a relationship of domestic dependency” with the employee. An absence for part of a day is counted as one day for the purposes of force majeure leave. It cannot be applied for in half day increments.
In order to be able to avail of force majeure leave, the event giving rise to it must be urgent, and the employee’s immediate presence with the ill or injured person must be indispensable.
Further general information and information in relation to ‘How to Apply’ for this type leave can be found on NSSO.gov.ie
Force Majeure Leave
Force Majeure and other urgent family reasons leave Circular 0005/2010
Carer’s Leave, which is a statutory entitlement (Carer’s Leave Act, 2001), allows officers to take temporary unpaid leave to enable them personally to provide full-time care and attention for a person who is in need of such care. A deciding officer of the DSP will decide whether individual is in need of such care after checking with their GP. The leave can be taken in respect of a family member, spouse, friend or colleague.
The maximum entitlement to Carer’s Leave is two years or one hundred and four weeks. The minimum entitlement is thirteen weeks.
Carer’s Leave may be taken as one continuous period of one hundred and four weeks or, within certain limits, as one or more periods amounting to not more than one hundred and four weeks.
A civil servant who wishes to avail of Carer’s Leave must have completed at least twelve months continuous service in the Civil Service (there is no hours threshold).
A civil servant on Carer’s Leave will be treated as if he or she had not been absent from his or her employment so that all his or her employment rights, except the right to remuneration, annual leave, public holidays in excess of the initial period of thirteen weeks of Carer’s Leave, and superannuation benefits, will be unaffected during the leave.
Though carer’s leave is unpaid, you may be entitled to carer’s benefit from the Department of Social Protection. Further information in this regard can be found on the DSP Website.
One may work while on carer’s leave, for a maximum of two days per week. (Most employees with this arrangement will work half days). This is subject to Local HR approval.
Further general information and information in relation to ‘How to Apply’ for this type leave can be found on NSSO.gov.ie
In accordance with the terms of the Work Life Balance and Miscellaneous Provisions Act 2023, civil servants may avail of up to 5 days of unpaid leave for medical care purposes in any 12 consecutive months. This leave can be taken as individual days or a block/blocks of days. An absence for part of a day is counted as one day.
While the Act does not confer an entitlement to remuneration and superannuation benefits, an officer on leave for medical care purposes is deemed to be in employment. The absence will therefore count as service for promotion, increments and annual leave.
This entitlement is in addition to existing statutory entitlements to carer’s leave, and force majeure leave and non-statutory entitlement to family illness leave which is provided under Circular 05/2010.
There is no minimum service requirement to avail of this leave type.
As outlined in the Act, officers can avail of this leave to provide care to certain specified persons who require significant care or support for a serious medical reason. Specified persons include:
- Child (including an adopted child)
- Spouse or Civil Partner
- Cohabitant
- Parent or Grandparent
- Sibling
- Any other person to those listed above who lives in the same house as the officer
Further information and information in relation to ‘How to Apply’ for this type leave can be found on NSSO.gov.ie
Domestic violence leave can be availed of for a maximum of 5 days in any period of 12 consecutive months and can be taken as individual days or a block/blocks of days. An absence for part of a day is counted as one day for the purposes of domestic violence leave.
The purpose of the leave is to enable the officer who is a victim of domestic violence or abuse, or who is assisting a relevant person, to do any of the following:
- seek medical attention
- obtain services from a victim services organisation
- obtain psychological or other professional counselling
- relocate residence temporarily or permanently
- obtain an order from a court under the Domestic Violence Act 2018
- seek advice or assistance from a legal practitioner
- seek assistance from An Garda Síochána.
There is no minimum service requirement to avail of this leave type.
This leave can be availed of by an officer, or an officer who is supporting a ‘relevant person’, who has experienced or is currently experiencing domestic violence. A relevant person includes:
- the spouse or civil partner of the employee
- the cohabitant of the employee
- a person with whom the employee is in an intimate relationship
- a child of the employee who has not attained full age
- a person who, in relation to the employee, is a dependent person
During an absence on domestic violence leave, an officer is deemed for all purposes to be in employment.
Further information and information in relation to ‘How to Apply’ for this leave type can be found on NSSO.gov.ie
Special Leave is granted in certain circumstances, subject to the work requirements of the Civil Service:
Marriage Leave
A civil servant may be allowed up to 5 days of paid special leave at the time of marriage subject to an overall total between annual leave and marriage leave of 27 days in the leave year in which the marriage takes place.
Unpaid leave of up to 5 days may be granted in addition to the paid leave entitlement, or in the event that the paid leave entitlement is not applicable.
Further information and information in relation to ‘How to Apply’ for this leave type can be found on the NSSO.gov.ie website.
Special Leave with pay on Marriage Circular 0006/2016
Bereavement Leave
Where there is the death of a spouse (including a cohabiting partner), child (including children being cared for on the basis of 'in loco parentis'), the amount of bereavement leave shall be twenty working days.
Where there is the death of another immediate relative the amount of bereavement leave shall be five working days. For the purposes of bereavement leave, "immediate relative” means father, mother, brother, sister, father in-law, mother-in-law, son-in-law, daughter-in-law, grandfather, grandmother or grandchild of an officer.
Where there is the death of an uncle, aunt, niece, nephew, brother in law or sister in law the amount of bereavement leave shall be one day. In exceptional circumstances, where the civil servant lived with the deceased at the time of their death, or has to take charge of funeral arrangements, this limit may be extended to five working days.
Further information and information in relation to ‘How to Apply’ for this leave type can be found on the NSSO.gov.ie website.
Special leave at time of bereavement Circular 01/2017
Study and Examination Leave
Officers who qualify for a refund/advance of fees, may be allowed paid study leave as follows; ten days of paid study leave in respect of the final year only of a third level primary or masters degree; five days of paid study leave for the other years of a third level course; paid leave for time necessarily spent at examinations.
Further information and information in relation to ‘How to Apply’ for this leave type can be found on the NSSO.gov.ie website.
Post Entry Education Study Leave and Examination Leave Circular 0023/2007
Leave for Civic Purposes
A number of days of paid leave per year are allowed for instruction in Civil Defence, training with the Reserve Defence Forces, training or call out with Voluntary Search and Rescue Organisations.
Special Leave for Instruction in Civil Defence Circular 0022/1962
Leave for attendance at training with the Reserve Defence Forces Circular 0051/1979
Search Rescue Circular 0015/2002
Further information and information in relation to ‘How to Apply’ for this leave type can be found on the NSSO.gov.ie website.
Union Business Leave
Special leave with pay may be granted to non-full-time representatives of staff associations/unions shortly before and/or after a meeting with the Official Side for the purpose of conciliation and arbitration, or any other meeting with management, to enable the representatives to discuss the subject matter of that meeting.
Special leave with pay may also be granted in respect of one Departmental Council staff panel meeting per month to representatives who are also members of the panel.
Special leave for Union Business includes:
- Association/Union meetings
- Annual Delegate Conferences – the limit is two days a year, for special delegate conferences – the limit is one day a year,
- Executive Meetings (excluding branch executive/committee meetings) – the limit is 25 days a year;
- Conferences of the Irish Congress of Trade Unions annual conferences and special delegate conferences – no limit applies.
Further information and information in relation to ‘How to Apply’ for this leave type can be found on the NSSO.gov.ie website.
Sporting Events
A civil servant may be granted leave if they are representing their country in sporting events such as:
- The Olympic Games
- World Championship Events
- European Championship Events
- Pre-Olympic Qualifying Competitions
A list of organisations covered under this leave type is available here: http://www.irishsport.ie.ngbs
Further information and information in relation to ‘How to Apply’ for this leave type can be found on the NSSO.gov.ie website.
Letter Special Leave for Sporting Purposes
Unpaid Leave for Domestic Purposes
Civil servants, may avail of up to six months of unpaid leave to deal with difficulties arising from the death or serious illness of an immediate relative and up to two months of unpaid leave to deal with other urgent domestic affairs.
Further information and information in relation to ‘How to Apply’ for this leave type can be found on the NSSO.gov.ie website.
Force Majeure and other urgent family reasons leave Circular 0005/2010
Unpaid Family Illness Leave
In the event of a serious and unforeseen illness or injury to an immediate relative and in any case where force majeure leave has been exhausted or does not apply, civil servants may be granted special leave subject to Local HR approval. This leave will be only be granted if ones annual leave and entitlement to Force Majeure Leave is less than 26 days in total.
- Leave up to 5 days in the case of a spouse or a child may be granted.
- Leave up to 3 days in the case of another immediate relative may be granted.
Further information and information in relation to ‘How to Apply’ for this leave type can be found on the NSSO.gov.ie website.
Force Majeure and other urgent family reasons leave Circular 0005/2010
Leave to work with the EU or an International Organisation
Civil servants may avail of up to ten years of unpaid leave to serve with the EU and up to five years unpaid leave to serve with an international organisation of which Ireland is a member.
Further information and information in relation to ‘How to Apply’ for these leave types can be found on the NSSO.gov.ie website.
Special Leave for appointment with international organisations Circular 0033/1991
Charitable Organisation Leave
Civil servants may avail of up to one year of unpaid leave for charitable or cultural work in Ireland, and up to five years for humanitarian emergencies and development work overseas.
Further information and information in relation to ‘How to Apply’ for this leave type can be found on the NSSO.gov.ie website.
Special Leave Circular 0002/1976
Jury Service
With the exception of certain persons who are disqualified or ineligible, all citizens between the ages of 18 and 70 years in the register of Dáil electors are qualified and liable to serve as jurors. Civil servants who attend for jury service should be given time off from duty with full pay.
It should be noted that if an officer is not selected for jury service, there is no entitlement to time off with full pay.
Further information and information in relation to ‘How to Apply’ for this leave type can be found on the NSSO.gov.ie website.
Jury Service Circular 0011/1977
Witness in Court Leave
A civil servant called as a witness on behalf of a party other than the State, should, provided a summons or subpoena has been served, should be granted special leave with pay for the period of necessary absence.
Special leave without pay may be given in certain other circumstances at the discretion of the Head of Department/Office, however it should be noted that unpaid leave will not reckon for superannuation purposes.
Further information and information in relation to ‘How to Apply’ for this leave type can be found on the NSSO.gov.ie website.
Attendance of Civil Servants in Court as Witnesses Circular 0031/2007
Accompany a Spouse Abroad
Special leave without pay up to a maximum period of five years may be allowed to civil servants in order to accompany a spouse who is working abroad. Such cases normally involve officers whose spouses are also civil servants (or who are employed in other areas of the public sector) and who have either been posted abroad or who have secured appointments with the EU or other international organisations of which Ireland is a member.
Further information and information in relation to ‘How to Apply’ for this leave type can be found on the NSSO.gov.ie website.
Circular 28/1991: Special Leave for Domestic Purposes
Ante Natal & Post Natal Leave
Civil servants may avail of paid time off to attend ante-natal classes. This entitlement includes one set of ante-natal classes (except for the last 3 classes of the set). Those classes may be attended by during one or more pregnancies. Evidence of appointment or attendance at the clinic will be required.
Attendance at post-natal classes is covered only during the first fourteen weeks following the birth of the child.
Further information and information in relation to ‘How to Apply’ for these leave types can be found on the NSSO.gov.ie website.
Maternity Protection (Amendment) Act 2004, Section 8 (irishstatutebook.ie)
Interview Leave
Time off may be allowed to attend a Public Appointment Service (PAS) examination and any interview that may follow from these examinations or any other civil service competition.
Officers should request the sanction of your Department/Office in advance of attending the exam/interview. This time off should not be sanctioned for the purpose of enabling a civil servant, even on a trial basis, to accept employment outside the civil service or to qualify for such employment.
The period of leave with pay is limited to time which is actually and necessarily spent on the PAS examination/interview and any time required for travelling to and from the PAS examination/interview centre.
Further information and information in relation to ‘How to Apply’ for this leave type can be found on the NSSO.gov.ie website.
Circular 02/1976: Special Leave
Special Leave with Pay for Living Organ Donation
Civil Servants who participate in the Living Organ Donor Programme under the clinical supervision of the National Renal Transplant Programme in Beaumont Hospital may apply for up to 12 weeks of paid special leave commencing from the date of the donation.
Worksharing officers who avail of this leave will be entitled to up to 12 consecutive weeks but will be paid their standard worksharing salary for the duration of the leave.
Pre- Donation Appointments:
Officers may also avail of paid time off to attend pre-donation appointments.
Please note the Circular outlining the provision for this leave is still pending. As such the above information may be subject to change once the Circular is finalised.
Further information and information in relation to ‘How to Apply’ for this leave type can be found on the NSSO.gov.ie website.
Special Paid Leave related to Covid-19
Special Leave for Covid-19 may apply where there is a confirmed case of Covid-19, or a need for civil servants to self-isolate.
The latest FAQs and Guidance for Public Service Employers during COVID-19 can be found on Gov.ie
Further information and information in relation to ‘How to Apply’ for this leave type can be found on the NSSO.gov.ie website.
A career break, which is a period of special leave without pay may be applied for the following reasons:
- Educational purposes (training courses with a practical training element for which there is a nominal payment/grant made to the student)
- Travel
- Family reasons
- Other domestic reasons
- Taking up a job in the private sector or becoming self-employed
A career break consists of special leave without pay for a period of either:
- Not less than six months and not more than five years when it is for educational purposes, travel, family reasons or other domestic reasons
- Not less than six months and not more than three years when it is for taking up employment in the private sector or becoming self-employed.
Further general information and information in relation to ‘How to Apply’ for this type leave can be found on NSSO.gov.ie
Link to circular
Information in relation to the Civil Service Worksharing scheme can be found in Circular 31/2001: Civil Service Worksharing Scheme and the amending circulars listed below. Subject to the operational needs of the organisation officers may apply to avail of a reduced workshare pattern. The minimum period to avail of a worksharing arrangement is 12 months.
After that time, the officer and manager must formally review the arrangement at least every 12 months thereafter (or earlier if necessary). This review can take place as part of business planning for the following year, or at any other appropriate time. The review should consider the needs of both the employer and the officer. Any change in working hours will be subject to approval from both the relevant line manager and local HR.
Further general information and information in relation to ‘How to Apply’ for this type leave can be found on NSSO.gov.ie
Links to circulars
Circular 11/2010: Amendment to Circular 31/2001
Circular 12/2013: Amendment to the Civil Service Worksharing Scheme
