IE
(LRC Revised)
Statutory Text (1 Articles)
Number 16 of 1996
PROTECTION OF YOUNG PERSONS (EMPLOYMENT) ACT 1996
REVISED
Updated to 27 July 2022
Changes to legislation
as of 10 July 2026, there are changes to this Act which have not been implemented by the Revised Acts editorial team, see highlighted entries
here
. Note that some amendments may not be in force until commenced by a commencement order or other provision.
This Revised Act is an administrative consolidation of the
Protection of Young Persons (Employment) Act 1996
. 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 the
Electoral Reform Act 2022
(30/2022), enacted 25 July 2022, and all statutory instruments up to and including
the
European Union (Organisation of Working Time in Inland Waterway Transport)
Regulations 2022
(S.I. No. 392 of 2022), made 27 July 2022, were considered in
the preparation of this revision.
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
16
of
1996
PROTECTION OF YOUNG PERSONS (EMPLOYMENT) ACT 1996
REVISED
Updated to 27 July
2022
ARRANGEMENT OF SECTIONS
Section
1.
Interpretation.
2.
Industrial work.
3.
Prohibition on employment of children.
4.
Additional provisions in relation to employment of children.
5.
Duties of employer in relation to young persons and children.
6.
Employment of young persons.
7.
Employment of young persons under licence.
8.
Employment of young persons under regulations.
9.
Exclusion from or modification of certain provisions of Act by regulations in relation
to employment of close relatives.
10.
Prohibition on double employment.
11.
Time spent on vocational training.
12.
Display of abstract of Act.
13.
Preservation of existing rates of pay and conditions of employment.
14.
Emergency as defence.
15.
Employer records.
16.
Recovery of money due to employee.
17.
Refusal by child or young person to co-operate with employer in breaching Act.
18.
[
Decision of adjudication officer under section 41 of Workplace Relations Act 2015.
]
19.
[
Decision of Labour Court on appeal from decision referred to in section 18.
]
20.
Enforcement of determination of Tribunal.
21.
Evidence of failure to attend before or give evidence or produce documents to Tribunal.
22.
Powers of inspectors.
23.
Offences by bodies corporate.
24.
Prosecutions.
25.
Penalties.
26.
Repeals.
27.
Expenses.
28.
Regulations.
29.
Short title and commencement.
FIRST SCHEDULE
Council Directive 94/33/EC of 22 June 1994
SECOND SCHEDULE
Enactments Repealed
Number
16
of
1996
PROTECTION OF YOUNG PERSONS (EMPLOYMENT) ACT 1996
REVISED
Updated to 27 July 2022
AN ACT TO REVISE AND EXTEND THE LAW RELATING TO THE PROTECTION OF YOUNG PERSONS IN
EMPLOYMENT AND TO ENABLE EFFECT TO BE GIVEN TO COUNCIL DIRECTIVE NO. 94/33/EC OF 22
JUNE 1994 ON THE PROTECTION OF YOUNG PEOPLE AT WORK (OTHER THAN ARTICLES 6 AND 7)
AND FOR THOSE PURPOSES TO REPEAL THE
PROTECTION OF YOUNG PERSONS (EMPLOYMENT) ACT, 1977
, AND CERTAIN PROVISIONS OF THE
CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT ACT, 1936
, AND TO PROVIDE FOR RELATED MATTERS. [26
th June
, 1996]
BE IT ENACTED BY THE OIREACHTAS AS FOLLOWS
Annotations
Modifications (not altering text)
C1
Application of Act restricted by
European Communities (Merchant Shipping) (Organisation of Working Time) Regulations
2003
(S.I. No. 532 of 2003), reg. 4A, as inserted (4.07.2014) by
European Communities (Merchant Shipping) (Organisation of Working Time) (Amendment)
Regulations 2014
(S.I. No. 245 of 2014), reg. 2(c).
4A.(1) Notwithstanding the provisions of the Act of 1996 or Regulations made under
that Act, a person under the age of 16 years shall not be employed on a ship to which
these Regulations apply.
...
Editorial Notes
E1
Act included in definitions of “employment enactment” and “relevant enactment” (1.08.2015) by
Workplace Relations Act 2015
(16/2015), s. 2 and sch. 1 part 2 item 1, S.I. No. 338 of 2015, with the following
effects
• Authorised officers or inspectors under employment enactments deemed to be appointed
under
Workplace Relations Act 2015
(16/2015), s. 26(2) and subject to termination under s. 26(4).
• Powers of inspectors for purposes of relevant enactments defined in
Workplace Relations Act 2015
(16/2015), s. 27.
• Workplace Relations Commission, an inspector or an adjudication officer authorised
to disclose employer’s registered number or employee’s PPSN to enable Labour Court to perform functions under relevant enactments by
Workplace Relations Act 2015
(16/2015) s. 31(5).
• Power of Workplace Relations Commission and official body to disclose information
to each other concerning the commission of offence under relevant enactment provided
by
Workplace Relations Act 2015
(16/2015), s. 32.
• Power of Workplace Relations Commission and contracting authority to disclose information
to each other concerning the commission of offence under employment enactment/ relevant
enactment provided by
Workplace Relations Act 2015
(16/2015), s. 33.
• Powers of Minister to prosecute under relevant enactments transferred to Workplace
Relations Commission and references construed by
Workplace Relations Act 2015
(16/2015), s. 37.
• Functions of EAT to hear claims under employment enactments transferred to Workplace
Relations Commission and references to EAT construed by
Workplace Relations Act 2015
(16/2015) s. 66(1), (2), not commenced as of date of revision.
E2
The application of this Act is confirmed in relation to working hours of persons
under 18 years in numerous regulations made under the
Industrial Relations Acts 1946 to 2004
.
Annotations
Modifications (not altering text)
C1
Application of Act restricted by
European Communities (Merchant Shipping) (Organisation of Working Time) Regulations
2003
(S.I. No. 532 of 2003), reg. 4A, as inserted (4.07.2014) by
European Communities (Merchant Shipping) (Organisation of Working Time) (Amendment)
Regulations 2014
(S.I. No. 245 of 2014), reg. 2(c).
4A.(1) Notwithstanding the provisions of the Act of 1996 or Regulations made under
that Act, a person under the age of 16 years shall not be employed on a ship to which
these Regulations apply.
...
Editorial Notes
E1
Act included in definitions of “employment enactment” and “relevant enactment” (1.08.2015) by
Workplace Relations Act 2015
(16/2015), s. 2 and sch. 1 part 2 item 1, S.I. No. 338 of 2015, with the following
effects
• Authorised officers or inspectors under employment enactments deemed to be appointed
under
Workplace Relations Act 2015
(16/2015), s. 26(2) and subject to termination under s. 26(4).
• Powers of inspectors for purposes of relevant enactments defined in
Workplace Relations Act 2015
(16/2015), s. 27.
• Workplace Relations Commission, an inspector or an adjudication officer authorised
to disclose employer’s registered number or employee’s PPSN to enable Labour Court to perform functions under relevant enactments by
Workplace Relations Act 2015
(16/2015) s. 31(5).
• Power of Workplace Relations Commission and official body to disclose information
to each other concerning the commission of offence under relevant enactment provided
by
Workplace Relations Act 2015
(16/2015), s. 32.
• Power of Workplace Relations Commission and contracting authority to disclose information
to each other concerning the commission of offence under employment enactment/ relevant
enactment provided by
Workplace Relations Act 2015
(16/2015), s. 33.
• Powers of Minister to prosecute under relevant enactments transferred to Workplace
Relations Commission and references construed by
Workplace Relations Act 2015
(16/2015), s. 37.
• Functions of EAT to hear claims under employment enactments transferred to Workplace
Relations Commission and references to EAT construed by
Workplace Relations Act 2015
(16/2015) s. 66(1), (2), not commenced as of date of revision.
E2
The application of this Act is confirmed in relation to working hours of persons
under 18 years in numerous regulations made under the
Industrial Relations Acts 1946 to 2004
.
Section
1.
Interpretation.
2.
Industrial work.
3.
Prohibition on employment of children.
4.
Additional provisions in relation to employment of children.
5.
Duties of employer in relation to young persons and children.
6.
Employment of young persons.
7.
Employment of young persons under licence.
8.
Employment of young persons under regulations.
9.
Exclusion from or modification of certain provisions of Act by regulations in relation
to employment of close relatives.
10.
Prohibition on double employment.
11.
Time spent on vocational training.
12.
Display of abstract of Act.
13.
Preservation of existing rates of pay and conditions of employment.
14.
Emergency as defence.
15.
Employer records.
16.
Recovery of money due to employee.
17.
Refusal by child or young person to co-operate with employer in breaching Act.
18.
[
Decision of adjudication officer under section 41 of Workplace Relations Act 2015.
]
19.
[
Decision of Labour Court on appeal from decision referred to in section 18.
]
20.
Enforcement of determination of Tribunal.
21.
Evidence of failure to attend before or give evidence or produce documents to Tribunal.
22.
Powers of inspectors.
23.
Offences by bodies corporate.
24.
Prosecutions.
25.
Penalties.
26.
Repeals.
27.
Expenses.
28.
Regulations.
29.
Short title and commencement.
FIRST SCHEDULE
Council Directive 94/33/EC of 22 June 1994
SECOND SCHEDULE
Enactments Repealed
Number
16
of
1996