Ireland has 10 bank holidays in total this year, and TDs have said there is room in the calendar for another with two dates touted as possible options
(Image: GETTY)
While we are still in the midst of the long weekend, the next bank holiday is just around the corner, giving many people a welcome day off work or school.
At present, there are 10 bank holidays a year in Ireland after St Bridget’s Day was introduced in 2023. While schools and many businesses close, services such as public transport continue to operate, often with reduced schedules.
With the May Hank Holiday weekend upon us, we are at the halfway point of this year’s Bank Holiday lot – and we don’t have long to wait till the next one, with the June bank holiday falling on Monday, June 1 this year.
That’s followed by Bank Holidays in August and October, before we wrap up 2026 with Christmas Day and St Stephen’s Day.
Looking ahead to the end of the year, there is one notable change compared to last year. St Stephen’s Day (December 26) falls on a Saturday, which means most workers are entitled to a substitute benefit – effectively an extra day off – to compensate for the public holiday landing on a weekend. So, many Irish workers can expect a bonus day off around Christmas in 2026.
2026 calendar and newspapers on desk(Image: Getty Images)
According to Citizen’s Information: “If the public holiday falls on a day which is not a normal working day for that business (for example, on Saturday or Sunday), you are still entitled to benefit for that public holiday. However, you do not have any automatic legal entitlement to have the next working day off work.”
This change will be even more pronounced in 2027 when both Christmas Day and St Stephen’s Day fall on the weekend – Saturday and Sunday – meaning two extra days off could be on offer for many employees, depending on employer arrangements.
Remaining 2026 bank holidays
Monday, June 1 – June Bank HolidayMonday, August 3 – August Bank HolidayMonday, October 26 – October Bank HolidayFriday, December 25 – Christmas DaySaturday, December 26 – St Stephen’s Day
We could soon have more bank holidays added to the calendar as pressure is growing to increase the number of days off in Ireland to bring the country more in line with our EU neighbours.
The European average stands at 12 public holidays per year, and Cyprus tops the list with 15. Ireland currently sits on 10, with only Germany, Denmark and the Netherlands having fewer with nine.
Calls for change are growing, with some opposition parties urging the Government to expand Ireland’s number of bank holidays.
Green Party leader Roderic O’Gorman has said there is room in the calendar for another Bank Holiday and touted Good Friday or the first weekend in July as possible options.
Green Party leader Roderic O’Gorman
O’Gorman said: “We have some of the highest labour productivity in the EU, workers generate the wealth our country enjoys and I think it is important the Government recognises leisure time or time they can spend with their families.
“There is definitely room there and we would look at either converting Good Friday from a public holiday into a full bank holiday because a lot of private sector workers do not get to enjoy that.
“The other option would be a bank holiday on the first weekend of July to allow people to have some time off over the summer.”
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