20 hrs/week
Age 19
€254.80/wk · €13,249.60/yr
National Minimum Wage (20+)
€283.00/wk · €14,716.00/yr
In 2026, National Minimum Wage (20+) wins on the statutory floor: €14.15/hour vs €12.74/hour for Age 19 — a gap of €1.41/hour. At full-time (40 hrs/week), that is roughly €2,932.80 more gross income per year before tax, USC, and PRSI. Use our hourly and Ireland tax calculators for take-home.
By Sammy S. · Founder · AuthorUpdated for 2026
National Minimum Wage (20+) has the higher statutory minimum wage
€14.15/hr vs €12.74/hr — a €1.41/hr gap (€2,932.80/yr FT gross).
€12.74/hr
€26,499.20/yr FT · effective 1 January 2026
€14.15/hr
€29,432.00/yr FT · effective 1 January 2026
Gap: €1.41/hr · €2,932.80/yr FT (€244.40/mo)
| Metric | ||
|---|---|---|
| Statutory minimum | €12.74/hr | €14.15/hr |
| FT annual gross (40×52) | €26,499.20 | €29,432.00 |
| Adult NMW band | No | Yes (20+) |
| Eligibility | Employees aged 19 | Employees aged 20 and over |
Gross pay at each band's statutory minimum (before tax, USC, and PRSI).
| Hours | Age 19 / wk | National Minimum Wage (20+) / wk | Age 19 / yr | National Minimum Wage (20+) / yr |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 20 hrs | €254.80 | €283.00 | €13,249.60 | €14,716.00 |
| 30 hrs | €382.20 | €424.50 | €19,874.40 | €22,074.00 |
| 40 hrs | €509.60 | €566.00 | €26,499.20 | €29,432.00 |
20 hrs/week
Age 19
€254.80/wk · €13,249.60/yr
National Minimum Wage (20+)
€283.00/wk · €14,716.00/yr
30 hrs/week
Age 19
€382.20/wk · €19,874.40/yr
National Minimum Wage (20+)
€424.50/wk · €22,074.00/yr
40 hrs/week
Age 19
€509.60/wk · €26,499.20/yr
National Minimum Wage (20+)
€566.00/wk · €29,432.00/yr
Pros
Cons / caveats
Pros
Cons / caveats
Planning guide
National Minimum Wage (20+) has the higher statutory minimum in 2026. Check eligibility and take-home tools before deciding which band applies.
Age 19 €12.74/hr vs National Minimum Wage (20+) €14.15/hr
€2,932.80/yr before tax
Statutory NMW age bands apply across the Republic of Ireland
Adult NMW (20+) is €14.15/hr
Age determines which statutory NMW band applies; craft apprentices are generally excluded.
Statutory age-band floors apply across the Republic of Ireland.
Rates are for 2026. Ireland’s NMW usually updates on 1 January.
Convert hours with the hourly calculator, then the Ireland tax calculator for PAYE, USC, and PRSI.
The adult National Minimum Wage (€14.15/hour for ages 20+) is the statutory age-band floor. Sectoral Employment Orders and Employment Regulation Orders may set higher minimum rates in specific sectors. This duel ranks statutory NMW age bands only — not sector-specific floors.
In 2026, National Minimum Wage (20+) wins on the statutory floor: €14.15/hour vs €12.74/hour for Age 19 — a gap of €1.41/hour. At full-time (40 hrs/week), that is roughly €2,932.80 more gross income per year before tax, USC, and PRSI. Use our hourly and Ireland tax calculators for take-home.
Wage floors are only half the story. See Ireland take-home vs countries and the Ireland tax calculator for income tax, USC, and PRSI at the same salary.
Adult NMW & all age-band rates
State vs state floors
Age band vs age band floors
Province vs province floors
Band vs band floors
Type vs type floors
Convert wage to annual pay
Take-home after PAYE, USC & PRSI