Regulation Order, 2026

L.N. 123 of 2026

EMPLOYMENT AND INDUSTRIAL RELATIONS ACT

(CAP. 452)

Agriculture and Allied Industries (Conditions of Work)

Regulation Order, 2026

IN EXERCISE of the powers conferred by article 4(1) of the

Employment and Industrial Relations Act, the Minister responsible for

employment and industrial relations has made the following order:-

(1) The title of this Order is the Agriculture and Allied

Industries (Conditions of Work) Regulation Order, 2026.

(2) This order shall come into force within two (2) months

from its date of publication in the Gazette.

(3) The provisions of this order shall apply to all employees in

any undertaking or part of an undertaking where the activities consist

wholly or mainly in agriculture, horticulture, floriculture, and

viticulture, the breeding and rearing of livestock, poultry, rabbits, the

keeping of bees and the processing of dairy products and products of a

similar nature

Provided that in the event that there is a collective

agreement applicable to the class of employees covered by this order,

the more favorable conditions in that agreement or in this order shall

prevail.

In this Order, unless the context otherwise requires:-

"Act" means the Employment and Industrial

Relations Act;

"collective agreement" shall have the same

meaning as assigned to it in the Act;

"customary holidays" means any day, other than

Sundays, declared at any time to be a public holiday by

or under the National Holidays and other Public

Holidays Act;

"double-time" means twice the minimum time

rates applicable to the employee;

"hours of work" shall have the same meaning as

assigned to it in the Act;

"part-time employee" shall have the same

meaning as assigned to it in the Act;

"time-and-a-half" means one and a half times the

minimum time rates applicable to the employee;

"wages" means remuneration or earnings, payable

by an employer to an employee and includes any bonus

payable under article 23 of the Act, other than any

bonus or allowance related to performance or

production;

"watchperson" means a person who guards his

employer’s property against fire, theft, illegal entry and

similar contingencies;

"week" means a calendar week;

"whole-time employee'' shall have the same

meaning as assigned to it in the Act.

The minimum weekly wages payable to whole-time Hours of work.

employees shall be related to a week of not more than

(a) forty hours (40) in the case of employees other than

watchpersons;

(b)

fifty-two hours (52) in the case of watchpersons.

The minimum weekly remuneration payable to whole-time Minimum

remuneration of

employees shall be as follows

whole-time

employees.

(a) watchpersons employed wholly or

principally

on

indoor

€298.27

duties................................................................

(b) watchpersons employed wholly or

principally

on

outdoor

€300.60

duties.................................................................

(c) other employees............................... €229.44

(1) When the employee is required by the employer to Uniform

wear a uniform in the performance of his duties, the employer shall allowance.

provide such uniform free of charge.

(2) Personal protective equipment according to the Minimum S.L.424.21.

Requirements for the use of Personal Protective Equipment at Work

Regulations shall also be provided free of charge by the employer.

Whole-time employees shall be allowed intervals for meals Minimum daily

and rest of not less in the aggregate than one (1) hour on any one (1) rest.

All employees shall be entitled to a rest period according to

the Organisation of Working Time Regulations.

Whole-time employees shall be entitled to the payment of

overtime as follows

(a)

Watchpersons;

(i) for every hour (1) worked in excess of

nine (9) hours in any one day, except on a

Sunday................................................................... time-and-a-half;

(ii) for all hours of work on a

Sunday................................................................... double-time;

(iii) for all time worked on any customary

holiday................................................................... double time;

(iv) for any hours worked in excess of fifty-

two (52) hours on any one week, exclusive of any

hours for which overtime is payable in terms of

the preceding provisions....................................... time-and-a-half;

(b)

employees other than watchpersons

(i) for every hour (1) worked in excess of

eight (8) hours on any one (1) day, except the

day

of

rest

of

the time-and-a-half;

employee...................................

(ii) for all hours worked on the weekly

day of rest of the employee................................. double time;

(iii) for all time worked on any customary

holiday.................................................................. double time;

(iv) for every hour (1) worked in excess of

forty (40) hours on any one (1) week, exclusive

of any hours for which overtime is payable in

terms of the preceding provisions......................... time-and-a-half.

The employee shall be entitled to annual leave in

accordance with the Organisation of Working Time Regulations.

(1) A whole-time employee shall in every calendar year

be entitled to the equivalent in hours of twelve (12) days sick leave on

full pay, less an amount equal to the sum established for sickness

benefit entitlement at the rate set in accordance with the Social

Security Act, and part-time employees shall have a pro rata

entitlement to sick leave in hours on full pay, less an amount equal to

the sum established for sickness benefit entitlement at the rate set in

accordance with the Social Security Act, which amount is also to be

calculated on a pro rata basis

Provided that

(a) the first three days (3) of any claim for sick leave

shall be paid in full by the employer;

(b) a medical certificate covering the period of absence

shall be submitted to the employer on the day of return to work

or, if such period exceeds seven (7) days, within seven (7) days

of the commencement of sick leave;

(c) employees receiving a social security pension in

respect of retirement or widowhood in accordance with the

Social Security Act shall, for the purpose of calculating the sick Cap. 318.

leave pay, be deemed to have received an amount equal to the

sum established for sickness benefit entitlement at the rate set in

accordance with the Social Security Act.

(2) Sick leave entitlements shall apply from the first day of

employment

Provided that said entitlements shall be calculated pro rata

according to the date of employment in the relative calendar year.

(3) The employer may require a medical certificate by a

physician of his choice to certify that the employee is not fit for work

during the period of sick leave.

(4) The sick leave entitlement shall be calculated on the basis

provided for annual leave as specified in regulation 8(1) of the

Organisation of Working Time Regulations.

Employees under this order shall be entitled to national Other forms of

holidays and to public holidays with full pay, to all forms of leave leave.

according to the Minimum Special Leave Entitlement Regulations and S.L. 452.101.

all other forms of leave that may from time to time be stipulated in the

National Standard Orders or regulations made in accordance with the

Act.

The Agriculture and Allied Industries Wages Council Order Repeal and

and the Agriculture and Allied Industries Wages Council Wage saving.

Regulation Order are hereby repealed without prejudice to anything S.L. 452.50.

done or omitted to be done thereunder.

€0.45