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Fancy more days off? TDs propose law granting two extra bank holidays

The suggested dates are the last Mondays in September and November.

PEOPLE BEFORE PROFIT is bringing forward legislation to introduce two extra bank holidays.

The suggested dates are the last Monday in September and the last Monday in November.

It follows a 2021 Bill that sought these days, as well as St Brigid’s Day, to be given bank holiday status. Since 2023, 1 February is a public holiday.

Dublin South-West TD Paul Murphy said Ireland lags behind other European countries. It has 20 days minimum holiday entitlements and 11 paid public holidays, while Germany and Sweden have 13 paid public holidays, Italy has 14 and Austria has 15.

“Whenever the Government finally allows normal Dáil business to resume, People Before Profit will introduce a Bill to increase the number of bank holidays in Ireland,” he said.

“Workers in Ireland are still lagging behind their European counterparts in terms of paid holiday entitlements and the government should pass this straightforward Bill without opposition to legislate two new bank holiday dates – in September and November.

“It’s the least workers can expect from the new government.”

Before the general election last year, the Green Party pledged to bring in a new bank holiday in July. It’s unclear if they’ll table a bill on it once the Dáil resumes.

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    Mute TheGood Feign
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    Jan 30th 2025, 7:07 PM

    All these people on here giving out about workers getting an extra day off a year obviously just dole merchants sitting at home scratching themselves, bitter that someone might be given a day less to contribute tax to their income. As a hard working employee I very much welcome the chance of an extra day or two a year off. Bring it on. If you’re giving out you probably aren’t working hard enough.

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    Mute K P
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    Jan 31st 2025, 7:15 AM

    @Harry Paisley: jog on

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    Mute William Kelly
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    Jan 31st 2025, 8:40 AM

    @Harry Paisley: I am inclined to agree, mainly because, apart from public services, which operate in a different dimension, most working people need full time jobs to make a basic income. This drift to reduced working weeks, work from home, and extended holidays will cause more part time employment in the open economy.

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    Mute Jon Balfour
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    Jan 30th 2025, 6:32 PM

    PBP, the party of the work-shy, dole scroungers

    243
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    Mute Keyser Söze
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    Jan 30th 2025, 7:20 PM

    @Jon Balfour: Point to the mythical millions on the dole if you like but it’s the people doing 40 hour weeks for little reward that need a break.

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    Mute Mr “JonnieBoy” Johnson
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    Jan 30th 2025, 7:52 PM

    @Jon Balfour: not a fan of pbp but this benefits workers not dole scroungers.

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    Mute Ian
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    Jan 30th 2025, 8:00 PM

    @Jon Balfour: Reading is clearly a very weak point for you, amongst a lot of things.

    40
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    Mute barry williams
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    Jan 30th 2025, 8:17 PM

    @Jon Balfour: so PBP are trying to do something for workers and you associate this will people on the dole? Did you leave school in 5th class?

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    Mute John Moore
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    Jan 30th 2025, 10:04 PM

    @Jon Balfour: In European terms we have one of the lowest number of bank holidays and that’s even after the addition of the latest one.

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    Mute P. V. Aglue
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    Jan 30th 2025, 10:14 PM

    @barry williams: but most low paid retail and hospitality jobs work bankholidays anyway

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    Mute Sickof thisshit
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    Jan 30th 2025, 10:22 PM

    @Jon Balfour: why would they bother then if every day was a waster day.

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    Mute Joe Beirne
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    Jan 30th 2025, 10:38 PM

    @Sickof thisshit: don’t mind the harry lad he’s a small knob and takes it out on everyone

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    Mute Ailbhe MacThomais
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    Jan 31st 2025, 12:27 AM

    @Jon Balfour: PBP aka Palestinians Before Patriots

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    Mute Ronan Mc
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    Jan 30th 2025, 6:48 PM

    Closest we’ll get to a 4 day week. At least we’ll get it once a month or so. When was the last time you heard anything about a four day week for workers?

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    Mute Oweke 68
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    Jan 30th 2025, 11:20 PM

    @Ronan Mc: who is We . I don’t and will never have a 4 day week

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    Mute Alan Moloney
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    Jan 30th 2025, 7:21 PM

    Should be one every month

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    Mute P. V. Aglue
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    Jan 30th 2025, 10:20 PM

    @Alan Moloney: and a bank holiday Friday at the end of the month

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    Mute Alan OConnor
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    Jan 30th 2025, 6:30 PM

    An absolute joke.

    The school year for example has been shortened by a day for the February bank holiday. Will this mean two more days taken from the year?

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    Mute Shaun Gallagher
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    Jan 30th 2025, 6:52 PM

    @Alan OConnor: No it hasn’t. Primary schools still so 183 a year

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    Mute Lorry R
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    Jan 30th 2025, 8:59 PM

    @Alan OConnor: what if it does? I’d like to spend more time with my kid

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    Mute barry williams
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    Jan 30th 2025, 9:13 PM

    @Lorry R: exactly. He either hates kids or teachers

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    Mute Chris
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    Jan 30th 2025, 11:15 PM

    @Alan OConnor: bet your on the dole

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    Mute Sinead Merrigan
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    Jan 30th 2025, 6:49 PM

    Literally far more pressing and and important issues at hand other than token days off to appease the masses. We don’t need to follow the status quo of every other European country

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    Mute sean whelan
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    Jan 30th 2025, 7:07 PM

    @Sinead Merrigan: Speak for yourself Sinead, I’ll take them! Prefer one in July though.

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    Mute Peter Lalor
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    Jan 30th 2025, 7:57 PM

    @Sinead Merrigan: if you have any spare annual leave left will you fire it over to me? Thanks.

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    Mute Eoin Jackson
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    Jan 30th 2025, 8:12 PM

    @sean whelan: what is this obsession with a July bank holiday?! Weather isn’t even good in July most the time! Give a September one.

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    Mute Chris
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    Jan 30th 2025, 11:16 PM

    @Sinead Merrigan: your on the dole yea?

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    Mute Sinead Merrigan
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    Jan 31st 2025, 11:09 AM

    @Chris: quite the assumption to make. No I’m not on the dole, I work a full time job and also volunteer in the community

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    Mute John Brennan
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    Jan 30th 2025, 8:55 PM

    If they are going to have an extra holiday have it in July for God sake when it’s of some use to people, and not the end of November when it’s freezing and have about 7 hours of daylight.

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    Mute joseph o brien
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    Jan 31st 2025, 10:33 AM

    @John Brennan: farmers don’t want to give workers the day off in busy summer season
    Not a lot going on in farming community in winter

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    Mute Owen Mc
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    Jan 30th 2025, 7:50 PM

    Are these Politicians going to Close every Buisness in the Country, if Wages and Holidays increase, so will the Retail Prices to the Consumer increase, or do they think everyone is earning the exorbitant Salaries they Earn as Part Time Politicians.

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    Mute Thesaltyurchin
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    Jan 31st 2025, 10:25 AM

    @Owen Mc: So if we just keep going prices wont go up? :)

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    Mute sean weir
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    Jan 30th 2025, 7:05 PM

    Over 80,000 still without power,but it’s bank holidays that we need to be talking about

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    Mute Thomas
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    Jan 30th 2025, 7:36 PM

    @sean weir: PBP are a Dublin party, they don’t care about anything west of Lucan.

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    Mute damien leen
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    Jan 30th 2025, 7:49 PM

    @sean weir: we can do more than one thing at once…

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    Mute barry williams
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    Jan 30th 2025, 8:19 PM

    @damien leen: obviously he can’t

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    Mute Brian Dunne
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    Jan 31st 2025, 7:22 AM

    @damien leen: jaysus damien I think your giving our elected politicians a lot of credit there:)

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    Mute Martin Ridge
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    Jan 30th 2025, 7:27 PM

    Still along way to go to match there holidays

    31
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    Mute Thesaltyurchin
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    Jan 31st 2025, 10:30 AM

    This is nicely played from the government. Our ESB network continues to prove it’s shoiddyness (I wonder do the even have an R&D department lol). All over our society we are under prepared for the might of the ‘future rhetoric’ we’re bombarded with, lovely speeches like, but no action. no houses, no public transport, healthcare crawling along… whats the classic?…. 10 euros and a bank holiday… it’ll work too.

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    Mute Paul
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    Jan 30th 2025, 7:23 PM

    For every Bank Holiday, there should be a 4% cut in dole and public worker wages…(same thing in a lot of cases, I know…)

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    Mute Brian D'Arcy
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    Jan 31st 2025, 4:17 PM

    @Paul: What about workers and Social Welfare recipients when they have to bail you out, again, clown

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    Mute Mark Murphy
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    Jan 30th 2025, 7:58 PM

    Why is July never considered with these proposals? Bank Holiday weekend coming up this weekend in the depths of winter, waste of time.

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    Mute John Brennan
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    Jan 30th 2025, 9:54 PM

    @Mark Murphy: Absolutely.

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    Mute Lone Hurler
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    Jan 30th 2025, 10:02 PM

    @Mark Murphy: Agreed, a waste of a day. Brought in to appease the hard core feminists. It should have been the first Monday in July to make our summer more enjoyable

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    Mute HisMastersAlibi
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    Jan 30th 2025, 7:26 PM

    That would be welcomed,we will be dead long enough.

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    Mute Dere
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    Jan 30th 2025, 6:46 PM

    They just getting us used to the fact that AI will eventually take most of our jobs and we’ll all be avid Jeremy Kyle watchers.

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    Mute Maire Hicks
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    Jan 30th 2025, 7:09 PM

    @Dere: Jeremy Kyle hasn’t been on TV in ages, seriously get with the times…

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    Mute Tezmond McVicar
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    Jan 30th 2025, 7:52 PM

    @Maire Hicks: A lot of people wouldn’t know that because they’re in work!

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    Mute Jack Hayes
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    Jan 30th 2025, 8:51 PM

    @Tezmond McVicar: And don’t read nor comprehend news, current affairs and popular culture articles.

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    Mute Susan O'Neill
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    Jan 30th 2025, 8:28 PM

    Nice bit I think as a country we have more important things to worry about! Like the cost of a wall or fence, the children’s Hospital, the homeless and so much more

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    Mute Sunny Sid
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    Jan 30th 2025, 8:00 PM

    Sorry, I note that the article states bank holidays and not public holidays. There are 11 bank holidays but public holidays are what matters to workers in the private sector, so, if Paul Murphy wants more bank holidays, then he is not speaking for the ordinary workers. Does he know the difference?

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    Mute Eric O Shea
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    Jan 31st 2025, 6:55 AM

    @Sunny Sid: paul Murphy doesn’t even know what sex his child is, let alone the difference between public and bank holidays!

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    Mute joseph o brien
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    Jan 31st 2025, 10:31 AM

    @Eric O Shea: not even sure he knows if the child is his

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    Mute Sunny Sid
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    Jan 30th 2025, 7:52 PM

    Ireland has 10 public holidays (not 11) and, Irish labour law allows for 20 days holidays for full time employees and pro rata for part time employees. Where is the 11 public holidays and 20 day minimum holiday entitlement coming from?

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    Mute Tommy
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    Jan 30th 2025, 6:36 PM

    Why don’t the politicians give a paid year holiday for everyone instead of looking for more holidays. Also I thought they were looking for a 4 day working week??

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    Mute Andrew Kenny
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    Jan 30th 2025, 8:19 PM

    Country full of lazy bas××××s!

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    Mute James Brennan
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    Jan 31st 2025, 11:10 AM

    Or how about retail premises shut on bank Holiday mondays and give staff the day off.

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    Mute D
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    Jan 31st 2025, 6:47 AM

    Civil servants are always on holidays

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    Mute James Leahy
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    Jan 30th 2025, 9:27 PM

    FFS.

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