(LRC Revised)

Number 27 of 1971

EMPLOYMENT AGENCY ACT 1971

REVISED

Updated to 1 September 2019

Changes to legislation

as of 10 July 2026, this Act is up to date with all changes known to be in force.

This Revised Act is an administrative consolidation of the

Employment Agency Act 1971

. It is prepared by the Law Reform Commission in accordance with its function under

the

Law Reform Commission Act 1975

(3/1975) to keep the law under review and to undertake revision and consolidation

of statute law.

All Acts up to and including

Judicial Council Act 2019

(33/2019), enacted 23 July 2019, and all statutory instruments up to and including

National Treasury Management Agency (Amendment) Act 2014 (State Authority) Order 2019

(S.I. No. 446 of 2019), made 1 September 2019, were considered in the preparation

of this Revised Act.

Disclaimer: While every care has been taken in the preparation of this Revised Act,

the Law Reform Commission can assume no responsibility for and give no guarantees,

undertakings or warranties concerning the accuracy, completeness or up to date nature

of the information provided and does not accept any liability whatsoever arising from

any errors or omissions. Please notify any errors, omissions and comments by email

to

revisedacts@lawreform.ie.

Number

27

of

1971

EMPLOYMENT AGENCY ACT 1971

REVISED

Updated to 1 September 2019

ARRANGEMENT OF SECTIONS

Section

1.

Interpretation.

2.

General prohibition on unlicensed employment agencies.

3.

Provisions regarding licence.

4.

Revocation of licence.

5.

Appeals against revocation of licence and refusal to grant licence.

6.

Non-application of Act.

7.

Fees, etc., of agencies.

8.

General power to make regulations.

9.

Power of entry inspection, etc.

10.

Offences.

11.

Laying of regulations before Houses of Oireachtas.

12.

Repeal.

13.

Expenses, etc.

14.

Commencement.

15.

Short title.

Act Referred to

Public Health Acts (Amendment) Act, 1907

1907, c. 53

Number

27

of

1971

EMPLOYMENT AGENCY ACT 1971

REVISED

Updated to 1 September 2019

AN ACT TO PROVIDE FOR THE CONTROL AND REGULATION BY THE MINISTER FOR LABOUR OF EMPLOYMENT

AGENCIES, TO MAKE PROVISION RELATING TO THE SEEKING OF PERSONS FOR EMPLOYMENT OUTSIDE

THE STATE, AND TO PROVIDE FOR OTHER MATTERS CONNECTED WITH THE MATTERS AFORESAID.

[24

th November

, 1971.]

BE IT ENACTED BY THE OIREACHTAS AS FOLLOWS

Annotations

Modifications (not altering text)

C1

Functions transferred and terms “Department of Labour” and “Minister for Labour” construed (20.01.1993) by

Labour (Transfer of Departmental Administration and Ministerial Functions) Order 1993

(S.I. No. 18 of 1993), arts. 3, 4, and sch. pt. 1, subject to transitional provisions

in arts. 5-9. Note that the name of the Minister for and Department of Industry and

Commerce was changed

• to the Minister for and Department of Enterprise and Employment (20.01.1993) by

Industry and Commerce (Alteration of Name of Department and Title of Minister) Order

1993

(S.I. No. 19 of 1993);

• to the Minister for and Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment (12.07.1997)

by

Enterprise and Employment (Alteration of Name of Department and Title of Minister)

Order 1997

(S.I. No. 307 of 1997);

• to the Minster for and Department of Enterprise, Trade and Innovation (2.05.2010)

by

Enterprise, Trade and Employment (Alteration of Name of Department and Title of Minister)

Order 2010

(S.I. No. 185 of 2010); and

• to the Minister for and Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation (2.06.2011)

by

Enterprise, Trade and Innovation (Alteration of Name of Department and Title of Minister)

Order 2011

(S.I. No. 245 of 2011).

...

3. (1) The administration and business in connection with the exercise, performance

or execution of any functions transferred by Article 4 of this Order are hereby transferred

to the Department of Industry and Commerce.

(2) References to the Department of Labour contained in any Act or instrument made

thereunder and relating to any administration and business transferred by paragraph

(1) of this Article shall, on and after the commencement of this Order, be construed

as references to the Department of Industry and Commerce.

4. (1) There are hereby transferred to the Minister for Industry and Commerce the

functions vested in the Minister for Labour by or under:—

(a) any Act mentioned in the Schedule to this Order, and

...

(2) References to the Minister for Labour contained in any Act or instrument thereunder

and relating to any functions transferred by this Article shall, on and after the

commencement of this Order, be construed as references to the Minister for Industry

and Commerce.

...

SCHEDULE

Part I

Acts functions under which are transferred from the Minister for Labour to the Minister

for Industry and Commerce.

...

Employment Agency Act, 1971 (No. 27 of 1971).

...

Annotations

Modifications (not altering text)

C1

Functions transferred and terms “Department of Labour” and “Minister for Labour” construed (20.01.1993) by

Labour (Transfer of Departmental Administration and Ministerial Functions) Order 1993

(S.I. No. 18 of 1993), arts. 3, 4, and sch. pt. 1, subject to transitional provisions

in arts. 5-9. Note that the name of the Minister for and Department of Industry and

Commerce was changed

• to the Minister for and Department of Enterprise and Employment (20.01.1993) by

Industry and Commerce (Alteration of Name of Department and Title of Minister) Order

1993

(S.I. No. 19 of 1993);

• to the Minister for and Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment (12.07.1997)

by

Enterprise and Employment (Alteration of Name of Department and Title of Minister)

Order 1997

(S.I. No. 307 of 1997);

• to the Minster for and Department of Enterprise, Trade and Innovation (2.05.2010)

by

Enterprise, Trade and Employment (Alteration of Name of Department and Title of Minister)

Order 2010

(S.I. No. 185 of 2010); and

• to the Minister for and Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation (2.06.2011)

by

Enterprise, Trade and Innovation (Alteration of Name of Department and Title of Minister)

Order 2011

(S.I. No. 245 of 2011).

...

3. (1) The administration and business in connection with the exercise, performance

or execution of any functions transferred by Article 4 of this Order are hereby transferred

to the Department of Industry and Commerce.

(2) References to the Department of Labour contained in any Act or instrument made

thereunder and relating to any administration and business transferred by paragraph

(1) of this Article shall, on and after the commencement of this Order, be construed

as references to the Department of Industry and Commerce.

4. (1) There are hereby transferred to the Minister for Industry and Commerce the

functions vested in the Minister for Labour by or under:—

(a) any Act mentioned in the Schedule to this Order, and

...

(2) References to the Minister for Labour contained in any Act or instrument thereunder

and relating to any functions transferred by this Article shall, on and after the

commencement of this Order, be construed as references to the Minister for Industry

and Commerce.

...

SCHEDULE

Part I

Acts functions under which are transferred from the Minister for Labour to the Minister

for Industry and Commerce.

...

Employment Agency Act, 1971 (No. 27 of 1971).

...

Section

1.

Interpretation.

2.

General prohibition on unlicensed employment agencies.

3.

Provisions regarding licence.

4.

Revocation of licence.

5.

Appeals against revocation of licence and refusal to grant licence.

6.

Non-application of Act.

7.

Fees, etc., of agencies.

8.

General power to make regulations.

9.

Power of entry inspection, etc.

10.

Offences.

11.

Laying of regulations before Houses of Oireachtas.

12.

Repeal.

13.

Expenses, etc.

14.

Commencement.

15.

Short title.