Ireland has strict rules about how young people can work, and they trip up a lot of parents and teens who assume any job is fair game once you’re “old enough.” The truth is more specific: what a 14-year-old can legally do is very different from what’s allowed at 15, and both are different again from 16 and 17. Get the age wrong and an employer can be committing a criminal offence — not just a technicality.
This guide sets out exactly what the law allows at each age, the maximum hours and pay rates that apply, and the realistic jobs teenagers in Ireland actually get. Everything here is checked against the Protection of Young Persons (Employment) Act 1996 and current guidance from the Workplace Relations Commission (WRC) and Citizens Information.
⚠️ Disclaimer: This is general information, not legal advice. If you’re an employer taking on a young worker, or a parent unsure about a specific situation, confirm the current rules directly with the Workplace Relations Commission.
Quick Answer
What jobs can a 14, 15 or 16-year-old get in Ireland? Under Irish law, regular full-time employment is not permitted below age 16. Children aged 14–15 can only do “light work” during school holidays (with a 15-year-old also allowed a small amount of light work during term time). From 16, teenagers can work more widely — up to 40 hours a week — but still with limits on late-night work. Realistic jobs at 14–15 include family-business work, light retail or admin tasks during holidays, and newspaper or leaflet delivery. At 16–17, retail, hospitality, and general part-time roles open up considerably.
Key Facts: Working Age Limits in Ireland (2026)
| Age | Can they work? | Max hours | Minimum wage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 14 | Generally no — narrow exceptions only (licensed cultural/artistic/sports work, family business, approved work experience) | N/A | N/A |
| 14 | Light work, school holidays only | 7 hours/day, 35 hours/week | €9.91/hour (70% of adult rate) |
| 15 | Light work in school holidays, plus up to 8 hours/week of light work during term time | 7 hrs/day, 35 hrs/week (holidays); 8 hrs/week (term) | €9.91/hour |
| 16–17 | Wider part-time and full-time work permitted | 8 hours/day, 40 hours/week | €9.91/hour (same “under 18” band) |
The €9.91 rate applies to every worker under 18, regardless of whether they’re 14, 15, 16 or 17 — the National Minimum Wage Act doesn’t split it further within that band. The rate then rises at 18 (€11.32), 19 (€12.74), and reaches the full adult rate of €14.15 at 20.
The Law: Protection of Young Persons (Employment) Act 1996
This is the legislation that governs everything in this guide. It defines a “child” as anyone under 16, and a “young person” as someone aged 16 or 17. It applies generally to employees under 18 — with one notable exception: it does not apply to work for a close relative, which is why family businesses have more flexibility.
Under 14
Employing a child under 14 is prohibited in almost all cases. The narrow exceptions are: licensed cultural, artistic, sports, or advertising work (this requires a licence from the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment, with conditions on supervision and education), employment by a close relative in a family business, and approved work experience or educational programmes arranged through school.
14 and 15-Year-Olds
Children aged 14 can only do light work during school holidays — never during term time. “Light work” means work that isn’t harmful to their safety, health, or development. The limits are 7 hours a day and 35 hours a week, and they must get at least 21 consecutive days (three weeks) off during the summer holidays.
15-year-olds get one extra allowance: on top of the same holiday rules as 14-year-olds, they can also do up to 8 hours a week of light work during the school term. This is the one case where a school-age child can legally have a part-time job while school is in session.
Children under 16 cannot start work before 8am or work past 8pm on any day, regardless of whether it’s a holiday or term-time job.
16 and 17-Year-Olds (“Young Persons”)
Once a teenager turns 16, the rules loosen significantly. They can work up to 8 hours a day and 40 hours a week, and are no longer restricted to holiday-only work. The main remaining protection is around night work: young persons generally can’t be required to work before 6am or, depending on the sector, much beyond 10pm — though specific regulations (for example, the Protection of Young Persons (Employment) Act 1996 (Employment in Licensed Premises) Regulations 2001) allow slightly later finishes in certain settings like pubs and restaurants on nights that aren’t followed by a school day.
If a young person works more than one job, their combined hours across all employers still can’t exceed the daily or weekly maximum.
What Jobs Can a 14-Year-Old Get in Ireland?
Realistic options are limited to the holiday-only, light-work framework above:
- Helping out in a family business (shop, farm, restaurant, trade) — the close-relative exemption gives the most flexibility here
- Newspaper, leaflet, or flyer delivery rounds
- Light seasonal retail or stock work during summer, where an employer is willing to work within the 7-hour/35-hour holiday limits
- Approved work-experience placements arranged through school (Transition Year placements are the most common route)
- Licensed modelling, acting, or sports work, where a parent has secured the required Ministerial licence
Babysitting is common at this age too, but it’s usually treated as an informal arrangement between families rather than a formal contract of employment, so the Act’s hour limits don’t apply to it in the same way — that said, ordinary safety and common-sense judgement still matter.
What Jobs Can a 15-Year-Old Get in Ireland?
Everything available to a 14-year-old, plus the added ability to do up to 8 hours a week of light work during term time. In practice this opens up:
- A regular short part-time shift — for example, a few hours on a Saturday at a local shop, café, or garden centre
- Continuing holiday work with slightly more employer interest, since 15-year-olds are seen as more capable of independent light duties
- Retail roles with light, supervised duties (shelf-stacking, basic customer service) where the employer understands and respects the hour limits
What Jobs Can a 16 or 17-Year-Old Get in Ireland?
This is where the realistic job market opens up substantially, since the strict “light work, holidays only” rule no longer applies:
- Retail — supermarkets, clothing shops, and other stores regularly hire 16–17-year-olds for part-time and holiday shifts
- Hospitality — cafés, fast food, and restaurants are common employers, subject to the night-work rules covered above
- Sports coaching, camp leadership, and childcare assistant roles, especially in summer
- Office and admin work experience, including paid part-time roles in some sectors
- Tutoring and grinds for younger students, often arranged informally or through an agency
What Parents and Guardians Should Know
- Written consent is required. Anyone employing a worker under 16 needs written permission from a parent or guardian, given directly to the employer.
- Proof of age is required. Employers must see evidence of age — typically a birth certificate — before employing anyone under 18.
- Employers must document the terms. Within one month of starting, an employer must give a worker under 18 a copy of the official summary of the 1996 Act along with their terms of employment.
- A register must be kept. Employers are legally required to maintain a register of employees under 18, including their age and hours worked.
- Complaints go to the WRC. If an employer breaches the rules — asking a 14-year-old to work during term time, or scheduling a 15-year-old past 8pm, for example — a complaint can be made to the Workplace Relations Commission’s Inspection Services. If a young worker is penalised for refusing to break the rules, a parent or guardian can bring the complaint on their behalf.
How to Find a First Job as a Teenager in Ireland
Ask locally first. Local shops, cafés, garden centres, and family-run businesses are often the most realistic starting point for a first job, especially under 16 — many don’t advertise formally and are found by simply asking in person.
Use the family and school network. Family businesses, school career notice boards, and Transition Year coordinators are common routes into a first work-experience placement.
Check retail and hospitality chains directly. Once 16, many supermarket and retail chains have online application forms specifically for part-time and student roles — checking their careers pages directly is often more effective than general job boards.
Be upfront about your age and availability. Employers hiring under-18s need to plan around the legal hour limits, so being clear about your age and what hours you can legally work up front avoids problems later.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. What is the youngest age you can legally work in Ireland?
There’s no absolute minimum, but regular employment is essentially prohibited below 14 except for licensed cultural/artistic/sports work, a family business, or an approved school work-experience placement. Meaningful part-time work realistically starts at 14, and only during school holidays.
2. Can a 14-year-old get a part-time job in Ireland?
Only light work during school holidays — never during term time — capped at 7 hours a day and 35 hours a week, with at least 21 consecutive days off in summer. Family-business work and approved work experience are the main realistic routes.
3. What jobs can a 15-year-old do in Ireland?
The same holiday-only light work as a 14-year-old, plus up to 8 hours a week of light work during the school term — the one case where a school-age teenager can hold a genuine part-time job while classes are on.
4. How many hours can a 16-year-old legally work in Ireland?
Up to 8 hours a day and 40 hours a week. Sixteen-year-olds are classed as “young persons” under the law and are no longer restricted to holiday-only or light work, though night-work limits still apply.
5. What is the minimum wage for a teenager in Ireland?
Workers under 18 are entitled to at least €9.91 an hour in 2026, which is 70% of the adult minimum wage. Rates rise with age up to the full adult rate at 20.
6. Do you need parental permission to work under 18 in Ireland?
Yes, for anyone under 16 — the employer must receive written consent from a parent or guardian before employment starts. Proof of age, usually a birth certificate, is also required.
7. Can teenagers work night shifts in Ireland?
No. Under-16s can’t work before 8am or after 8pm on any day. Sixteen and 17-year-olds generally can’t be required to work before 6am, and there are limits on late finishes too, with narrow sector-specific exceptions such as licensed premises regulations.
8. Can a family member employ their own child under the usual rules?
The 1996 Act does not apply to employment by a close relative, which gives family businesses more flexibility than the standard rules — though ordinary safety and welfare considerations still apply.
9. What happens if an employer breaks the rules for a young worker?
It’s a criminal offence to employ a child in breach of the Act. Complaints can be made to the Workplace Relations Commission’s Inspection Services, and a parent or guardian can complain on a young worker’s behalf if they’ve been penalised for refusing to break the rules.
10. Is babysitting covered by the same employment rules?
Informal babysitting between families generally isn’t treated as a formal contract of employment, so the Act’s hour limits don’t apply in the same way. Ordinary safety judgement from parents on both sides still matters.
Conclusion
The short version: 14 and 15-year-olds are limited to light, holiday-based work (with a small term-time allowance from 15), while 16 opens the door to a much wider range of part-time jobs with a 40-hour weekly cap and night-work protections. Whatever the age, written parental consent, proof of age, and respecting the hour limits aren’t optional extras — they’re the law, and the Workplace Relations Commission enforces it.
Looking for your first job with no work history yet? Our guide to Entry-Level & No-Experience Jobs in Ireland covers realistic routes in once you’re old enough for broader part-time work.
Official Sources
- Workplace Relations Commission — Employment of Children and Young Persons: workplacerelations.ie
- Citizens Information — Rights of Young Workers: citizensinformation.ie
- Protection of Young Persons (Employment) Act 1996 — Irish Statute Book: irishstatutebook.ie
Last verified against official sources: September 2026. Minimum wage rates apply from 1 January 2026 and are reviewed annually; always confirm current figures on official sites.
