Country profile IRL
National Legal Framework
National Legal Framework
| Provision | Legislation date | Convention | Legislation info | sources | Value | sort_order | Provision description | Legislation description |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| List of hazardous activities prohibited for children | 2007 | C138 & C182 | Safety, Health and Welfare at Work (General Application) Regulations - Sections 143 and 145 | [{"link_name":"Safety, Health and Welfare at Work (General Application) Regulations","source_link":"https://www.irishstatutebook.ie/eli/2007/si/299/made/en/print#article145"}] | Yes | 7 | C138 and C182 require the national determination of a list of hazardous work prohibited for children under 18 years of age. The competent authorities should consult with workers' and employers' organizations to determine what types of employment or work are considered to be hazardous. Such a list shall be periodically examined and revised as necessary. | While Section 143 of the Text defines "children" as a person aged under 16 years and "young person" as a person who has reached 16 years of age but is less than 18 years of age, Section 145 of that same text provides for the list of activities for which children and young people should not be employed. |
| Minimum age for hazardous work | 2007 | C138 & C182 | Safety, Health and Welfare at Work (General Application) Regulations 2007 - Section 143 and 145 | [{"link_name":"Safety, Health and Welfare at Work (General Application) Regulations","source_link":"https://www.irishstatutebook.ie/eli/2007/si/299/made/en/print#article6"}] | 18 | 6 | C138 and C182 set 18 as the minimum age for hazardous work, which is defined as work that, due to its nature or the circumstances in which it is carried out, is likely to jeopardize children’s health, safety or morals. C138 and C182 allow countries to permit hazardous work exceptionally as from 16, provided that the health, safety and morals of the young persons concerned are fully protected and that they have received adequate specific instruction or training. | While Section 143 of the Text defines "children" as a person aged under 16 years and "young person" as a person who has reached 16 years of age but is less than 18 years of age, Section 145 of that same text prohibits the employment of a child or a young person in hazardous occupations. |
| Is forced or compulsory recruitment of children under 18 for use in armed conflict prohibited? | 1954-03-13 | C182 | Defence Act, 1954 - Section 76. (1) | [{"link_name":"Defence Act","source_link":"https://www.irishstatutebook.ie/eli/1954/act/18/enacted/en/print"}] | Yes | 9 | C182 defines forced or compulsory recruitment of children under 18 for use in armed conflict as a worst form of child labour. Nevertheless, C182 only prohibits the forced or compulsory recruitment of children under 18, and does not cover the voluntary recruitment of children under 18. | Section 76. (1) stipulates that, where "(a) a person under the age of eighteen years is enlisted without the consent in writing of his parent, and (b) the parent of such person applies within three months after the date of such person's attestation to the commanding officer or the Minister for the discharge of such person, such person shall be discharged from the Permanent Defence Force or the Reserve Defence Force (as the case may be) with all convenient speed.", thus prohibiting forced recruitment of children below the age of 18 years. However, this provision only applies to permanent or reserve defence forces, and does not cover armed groups. Furthermore, it relies on the consent of the parents, without taking into account that of the child. |
| Is the use, procuring or offering of children for illicit activities, in particular for the production and trafficking of drugs, prohibited? | 2024-03-11 | C182 | Criminal Justice (Engagement of Children in Criminal Activity) Act, 2024 - Section 1. Section 2. | [{"link_name":"Criminal Justice (Engagement of Children in Criminal Activity) Act","source_link":"https://www.irishstatutebook.ie/eli/2024/act/8/enacted/en/print.html"}] | Yes | 11 | C182 prohibits the use, procuring or offering of children for illicit activities in particular for the production and trafficking of drugs. | While Section 1. of the Act defines a child as a person who has not attained the age of 18 years, Section 2. punishes any adult who compels, coerces, directs the child, or deceives the child for the purpose of causing that child to engage in criminal activity, as well as any adult who induces, invites, aids, abets, counsels or procures the child for the purpose of causing that child to engage in criminal activity. |
| Is the use, procuring or offering of a child for the purpose of prostitution and for production of pornography prohibited? | 1998-06-29 | C182 | Child Trafficking and Pornography Act (No. 22 of 1998) - Section 2. and Section 4. and 4A. | [{"link_name":"Child Trafficking and Pornography Act","source_link":"https://www.irishstatutebook.ie/eli/1998/act/22/section/3"}] | Yes | 10 | C182 prohibits the use of a child under the age of 18 for prostitution, regardless of the child's consent. The use, procuring or offering of any person under the age of 18 for commercial sexual exploitation constitutes a worst form of child labour, even if prostitution is a legalised. In regard to the prohibition of child pornography, States need to make sure that national legislation addresses the involvement of a child in the production of pornographic materials, including non-recorded performances. | Section 4 criminalises allowing a child to be used for child pornography, while section 4A criminalises the organisation of child prostitution and the production of child pornography. Section 2. defines a child as a person under the age of 18 years, thus punishing the commission of such offences on any children below that age. |
| Is the sale and trafficking of children for sexual and labour exploitation prohibited? | 1998-06-29 ; 2008-05-07 | C182 | Child Trafficking and Pornography Act, 1998 - Section 3 ; Criminal Law (Human Trafficking) Act, 2008 - Section 2 | [{"link_name":"-Child Trafficking and Pornography Act","source_link":"https://revisedacts.lawreform.ie/eli/1998/act/22/revised/en/html"},{"link_name":"-Criminal Law (Human Trafficking) Act","source_link":"https://revisedacts.lawreform.ie/eli/2008/act/8/section/2/revised/en/html"}] | Yes | 8 | C182 defines all forms of slavery or practices similar to slavery, such as the sale and trafficking of children, debt bondage and serfdom and forced or compulsory labour as worst forms of child labour. | While Section 3 (5) of the Act defines a child as a perosn aged less than 18 years, Section 3 (1) punishes any person who traffics a child for the purposes his sexual exploitation and Section 3(2) criminalises sexual exploitation of a child. In addition, Section 2 (1) of the Criminal Law (Human Trafficking) Act 2008 prohibits the trafficking of children for labour exploitation while section 2(2) of that Act prohibits the sale of children. |
| Is the minimum age for admission to work not less than the age for completion of compulsory schooling? | 2001-07-24 | C138 | Protection of Young Persons (Employment) Act, 1996 - Article 1. 1 | [{"link_name":"Protection of Young Persons (Employment) Act","source_link":"https://www.irishstatutebook.ie/eli/1996/act/16/enacted/en/print.html"}] | Yes | 4 | C138 requires that the minimum age for admission to work shall not be less than the age of completion of compulsory schooling and, in any case, shall not be less than 15 years. | Article 1. 1 of the Act stipulates that it should be ensured that "the minimum working or employment age is not lower than the minimum age at which compulsory full-time schooling as imposed by national law ends or 15 years in any event". |
| Minimum age for admission to apprenticeship | 2001-07-24 | C138 | Protection of Young Persons (Employment) Act, 1996 - Section 3. (6) and Section 3. (8) | [{"link_name":"Protection of Young Persons (Employment) Act","source_link":"https://www.irishstatutebook.ie/eli/1996/act/16/enacted/en/html"}] | 14 | 5 | C138 does not apply to work done in school for general, vocational or technical education or in training institutions or work done by children at least 14 years of age in undertakings, where such work is carried out in accordance with conditions prescribed by the competent authority. Such work must be an integral part of: (i) a course of education or training for which a school or training institution is primarily responsible; (ii) a programme of training mainly or entirely in an undertaking, which programme has been approved by the competent authority; or (iii) a programme of guidance or orientation designed to facilitate the choice of an occupation or of a line of training. | While Section 3. (8) of the Act stipulates that an employer may employ a child over the age of 15 years to participate in a training or work experience programme, Section 3. (6) stipulates that "an employer may employ a child who is over the age of 14 years and who is a full-time student at an institute of secondary education pursuant to any arrangements made or approved of by the Minister for Education as part of a programme of work experience or educational programme: Provided that the hours of work do not exceed 8 hours in any day or 40 hours in any week.", thus setting the minimum age to apprenticeship to 14 years. |
| Light work - Determination of types and conditions of activities | 2001-07-24 | C138 | Protection of Young Persons (Employment) Act, 1996 - Section 3. (4), (5) | [{"link_name":"Protection of Young Persons (Employment) Act","source_link":"https://www.irishstatutebook.ie/eli/1996/act/16/enacted/en/html"}] | Yes | 3 | If the country chooses to allow light work, States must determine what activities are considered light work, and the hours and the circumstances under which they may be carried out. | Section 3. (4) allows light work to children above the age of 14 years provided that "(a) the hours of work do not exceed 7 hours in any day or 35 hours in any week, (b) the work is not harmful to the safety, health and development of the child, and (c) during the period of the summer holidays, the child does not do any work for a period of at least 21 days.". Furthermore, Section 3. (5) states that "an employer may employ a child who is over the age of 15 years to do light work during school term time, provided that the hours of work do not exceed 8 hours in any week". |
| Minimum age for light work | 2001-07-24 | C138 | Protection of Young Persons (Employment) Act, 1996 - Section 3. (4) | [{"link_name":"Protection of Young Persons (Employment) Act","source_link":"https://www.irishstatutebook.ie/eli/1996/act/16/enacted/en/html"}] | 14 | 2 | C138 defines light work as work that does not interfere with children’s schooling, or their ability to benefit from it, and that is not hazardous. C138 allows countries to permit light work for children younger than the general minimum age. For countries that set the minimum age at 15, this means children aged 13-14, and for those that set it at 14, children aged 12-13 may engage in light work. | Section 3. (4) of the Act states that an employer may employ a child who is over the age of 14 years to do light work during any period outside the school term. |
| Minimum age for admission to work | 2001-07-24 | C138 | Protection of Young Persons (Employment) Act, 1996 - Section 1. ; Section 3. (1) | [{"link_name":"Protection of Young Persons (Employment) Act","source_link":"https://www.irishstatutebook.ie/eli/1996/act/16/enacted/en/html"}] | 16 | 1 | C138 establishes 15 as the minimum age for work in general. Developing countries have the option of setting a minimum age of 14 as a transitional measure as they strengthen their education systems and economies. | While Section 1. of the Act defines a child as a person who is under 16 years of age, Section 3. (1) stipulates that an employer shall not employ a child to do work. |
International Legal Framework
International Legal Framework
| Ratification status | Convention | Convention description | Date of ratification | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| in-force | C182 | Worst Forms of Child Labour Convention, 1999 (No. 182) | 20-DEC-1999 | Source |
| in-force | C138 | Minimum Age Convention, 1973 (No. 138) | 22-JUN-1978 | Source |
Policies and Plans
Policies and Plans
| Description | sources | Period | Policy name | Implementing agency |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| This strategy sets out the Department’s strategic direction and priorities for the period between 2023 and 2025. It follows the progress of the 2021-2023 strategy with a continued focus on key areas such as supporting children’s learning in the aftermath of the pandemic, addressing educational disadvantage, migrant inclusion, supporting children and young people with special educational needs, combatting climate change and supporting the active participation of children and young people in the system. The Strategy follows 4 main goals including : to enable the provision of high-quality education and improve the learning experience to meet the needs of all children and young people, in schools and early learning and care settings; To ensure equity of opportunity in education and that all children and young people are supported to fulfil their potential; To provide strategic leadership and support for the delivery of the right systems and infrastructure for the sector; To aim for organisational excellence and innovation. | [{"link_name":"Source","source_link":"https://assets.gov.ie/269809/4632479a-353e-4e38-b8ee-ad46feaed2b1.pdf"}] | 2023-2025 | Statement of Strategy for the Department of Education | Department of Education |
| While the majority of actions in this Third National Human Trafficking Action Plan relate to both adult and child victims, there are a number of child-specific measures included under each of the pillars. These measure include : To ensure that economic operators are excluded from participation in a procurement procedure where it has established or is otherwise known that they have been convicted of child labour and other forms of trafficking in human beings in the previous 5 years ; To ensure that all professionals in contact with children, and working on child related matters, are qualified in dealing with and recognising victims of trafficking and act in the child’s best interest ; To engage with victims in a victim centred, trauma-informed, gender & child-specific and culturally competent manner ; To review, plan and implement an enhanced and coordinated operational response from The Child and Family Agency (TUSLA) and the national police force (An Garda Síochána) to ensure that the response is effective, and fully meets the needs of child victims; To review and evaluate the care provision for child victims, to include resourcing issues, to ensure that any increase in child victims identified under the revised National Referral Mechanism (NRM) framework does not affect the level of care provided ; To develop the NRM operational guidelines with the specific needs of child victims of trafficking taken into account; To support a child victim by way of education; To enhance capabilities to locate children who are missing, including those who have run away from State care, and may be vulnerable to human trafficking; To review cases where children have absconded from State care to identify potential linkages with trafficking; To consider what further supports child victims of trafficking may require when engaging with the criminal justice system. | [{"link_name":"Source","source_link":"https://assets.gov.ie/275645/a08d95b1-9701-41a3-87f6-5424625ad325.pdf"}] | 2023 - 2027 | National Action Plan to prevent and combat Human Trafficking | Human Trafficking Governance and Strategy Group |
| The Council Recommendation (EU) 2021/1004 of 14 June 2021, establishing the European Child Guarantee, aims to prevent and combat social exclusion by ensuring that children in need have access to essential services. This initiative supports children's rights by addressing child poverty and promoting equal opportunities. The recommendation outlines proposals for Member States regarding key services, including early childhood education and care, inclusive education and school-based activities (including a nutritious meal each school day), medical care, healthy nutrition, and adequate housing. It applies to all children under 18 who are at risk of poverty or social exclusion. In response to the Council Recommendation and in alignment with previously adopted strategic guidelines, Ireland has developed a national action plan to safeguard children's rights—the Child Guarantee National Action Plan. The main goals of the Action Plan focus on : The reinforcement of the integration of students with special educational needs in mainstream education and address educational disadvantage at school level through the Delivering Equality of Opportunity in Schools; The development of the digital Strategy to further embed the use of digital technologies in teaching, learning and assessment; The phasing out of segregated Traveller education provision; The doubling of the investment in Early Learning and Care and School Aged Care to at least €1bn by 2028; The funding of the School Meals Programme for the provision of food to some 1,500 schools and organisations; The Development of further supported emergency accommodation for families and individuals experiencing homelessness and the providing of enhanced tenancy sustainment supports to families experiencing long-term homelessness; The development of a local child poverty action plan. | [{"link_name":"Source","source_link":"https://ec.europa.eu/social/BlobServlet?docId=25706&langId=en"}] | 2022 | Child Guarantee National Action plan | EU Child Guarantee Coordinator for Ireland |