On 7 September 2026, in a written response to a parliamentary question, Alan Dillon, Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment, confirmed that there are currently no plans to increase the current five-day statutory sick pay entitlement (“SSP”). On the back of a 2025 report issued by his department, he maintained that retail, accommodation and food services firms would be most affected by any further increases. He continued that capping the benefit at five days per year strikes the appropriate balance between supporting workers and managing the impact on employers.

Introduced on 1 January 2023, under the Sick Leave Act 2022 (the “Act”), employer SSP began at three days per year and increased to five days on 1 January 2024. Eligible employees receive 70% of their normal gross daily earnings, up to a maximum daily cap of €110.

When the Act was introduced, the government planned to expand SSP to seven days in 2025, and on to ten days in 2026. In April 2025, the Minister froze this planned increase, confirming that an employee’s entitlement to SSP would remain at five days per calendar year.

The announcement provides greater certainty for employers, as SSP is now unlikely to increase in the near future. For more detail, see the parliamentary answer here.

For further information or assistance please contact Caoimhe Heery, Partner or Claire McDermott, Partner or any other member of our Employment Team, who will be glad to assist.

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