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Annual leave. Out of office. Taking a break from workAs 2025 draws to a close some Irish workers are already casting their eyes towards 2026 and making some clever planning choices when it comes to annual leave.
Full-time employees in Ireland typically receive 20 statutory days of annual leave, although many workplaces offer between 23 and 26. Rob Brooks, holiday expert at On The Beach Ireland has shared how to maximise annual leave for more holiday time in 2026.
His planning strategy optimises Ireland's bank holidays. By strategically placing annual leave around them, workers can maximise their time off without using additional days.
“In Ireland, for those that work a standard five-day working week, the law requires you to have a minimum of 20 days annual leave/holiday per year or 29 days including bank holidays," he said.
“If you’re savvy, you can cleverly book days off surrounding public bank holidays to turn long weekends into weeks. This way, you can fully switch off knowing you have more days to relax."
How to maximise the ten bank holiday dates in 2026:
New Year’s Day: Thursday 1 JanuaryBook 2 January for four days off.
St Brigid’s Day: Monday 2 FebruaryBook 3rd February for four days off.
St Patrick’s Day: Tuesday 17 MarchBook 16 March for four days off.
Easter Monday: Monday 6 AprilBook 7, 8, 9, 10 April for six days off.
Early May Bank Holiday: Monday 4 MayBook 5 , 6, 7, 8 off for nine days off.
June Holiday: Monday 1 JuneBook 2, 3, 4, 5, for seven days off.
August Holiday: Monday 3 AugustBook 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 for nine days off.
Halloween/ Samhain Bank Holiday: Monday 26 OctoberBook 27, 28, 29, 30 for nine days off.
Christmas Day: Thursday 25 DecemberSaint Stephens Day: Friday 26 DecemberBook 29, 30, 31 for seven days off.
“So, there are actually a few caveats to this, to keep in mind," said Rob. "It will vary depending on where and who you work for, and some companies will include bank holidays within the entitlement.
"Unfortunately, you won’t be to bag all these days off, so I’d recommend prioritising the one’s that work best for you, depending on when you like to jet off and relax. If you’re self-employed, the rules don’t apply, and you can holiday whenever you wish!”
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