Health sector workers covered by the 2024-2026 Public Sector Pay Agreement will receive a 9.25% pay increase over 2.5 years, with adjustments staggered from October 2024 through October 2026. Official PDFs from the Health Service Executive with specific effective dates are the authoritative source for your exact scale.

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Latest PDF: August 2025 Version 2 (healthservice.hse.ie) · Agreement Span: 2024-2026 · Next Date: 1 February 2026 · Circular: 6/2025

Quick snapshot

1Key 2025 Scales
2What’s unclear
  • Exact increment percentages not listed in public-facing PDFs
  • Post-2026 scales and successor agreement details not yet published
  • Regional variations within Ireland not addressed in official documents
3Timeline signal
4What happens next
  • Revised scales effective 1 February 2026 under 2024-2026 agreement (Forsa Health Salary Scales)
  • Further adjustments: 1% on 1 June 2026, 2% on 1 October 2026 (Forsa Health Salary Scales)
  • Local bargaining adds up to 1% of pay bill to base increases (Forsa Health Salary Scales)
Label Value
Latest PDF August 2025 Version 2 (healthservice.hse.ie)
Agreement Span 2024-2026
Circular Reference 6/2025 for 1 August 2025
Next Date 1 February 2026
Total Pay Increase 9.25% over 2.5 years
HSE Chief Executive Salary Feb 2026 €402,156

What is the HSE pay scale?

The HSE pay scale refers to the official consolidated salary scales published by the Health Service Executive (HSE), approved by the Department of Health. These scales include incremental pay points — annual increments paid based on your grade and years of service. The scales are published as PDFs with different effective dates throughout the year.

According to the Department of Public Expenditure, the Public Service Agreement 2024-2026 governs these increases. The agreement runs from 1 January 2024 to 30 June 2026 and is valued at 9.25% total.

Current consolidated scales

Increments are paid annually, with the number of increments determined by grade. The HSE publishes current and historical rates; yellow shaded entries indicate scales that are not currently active. The Department of Health sanctions all scales, and no excess remuneration is permitted beyond approved policy.

Role-specific examples

  • Community Ophthalmic Physician at increment 1: €148,092 on 1 March 2025, rising to €149,573 on 1 August 2025
  • Senior Administrative Dental Surgeon salary reaches €120,326 LSIs on 1 March 2025
  • Analytical Chemist Executive from 1 February 2026: €54,440 to €82,525 (LSI1) to €83,757 (LSI2)

The implication: if you’re trying to calculate your exact take-home, you need to match your increment point to the correct effective date — using the wrong version can push your estimate off by €1,000 or more.

What is the HSE increment for 2025?

The 2025 adjustments come in two waves: March 2025 and August 2025. The March 2025 pay scales were sanctioned by the Minister for Health, including 2% or €1,000 (whichever is greater) applied to basic salaries, plus 1% to allowances. The August 2025 version 2 builds on this with further increases under Circular 6/2025.

The Government announcement confirmed the health sector agreement represents a 9.25% increase for up to 40,000 workers, equivalent to the Public Sector Agreement 2024-2026. Budget 2025 allocated €30 million additional funding for HSE and €8.5 million for Tusla to cover these costs.

The upshot

Health sector workers saw backdated increases starting October 2024 (2.25%), followed by 1% on 1 April 2025 and 2% on 1 November 2025 — meaning the most visible bump lands in autumn, not at the start of the year.

March 2025 adjustments

HR Circular 004/2025 details the application of 1 March 2025 pay scales with Appendix 3 scales included. The HSE March 2025 Pay Scales PDF provides the primary reference, running to 69 pages at 2.5 MB.

August 2025 version 2

The August 2025 Pay Scales Version 2 PDF (1.3 MB, 69 pages) must be read alongside Department of Health Circular 6/2025. Public Service Agreement 2024-2026 adjustments effective 1 January 2024 include increases to annualised basic salaries.

What this means: August 2025 is when most health workers see the cumulative effect of the agreement — the spring increase layers on top of the autumn 2024 backdating, creating a larger jump than either adjustment alone.

What is the HSE pay increment for 2026?

The 2026 adjustments continue the phased approach under the agreement. The Forsa Union provides detailed health salary scales including revisions from 1 February 2026. The Forsa Health Salary Scales page shows the Analytical Chemist Executive scale ranging from €54,440 to €82,525 (LSI1) to €83,757 (LSI2) from that date.

The agreement terms include 1% or €500 (greater) on 1 February 2026 and 1% on 1 June 2026. Union approval of the health pay deal was published 2 May 2025, confirming the framework that carries through to mid-2026.

February 2026 revisions

The HSE Chief Executive salary stands at €402,156 from 1 February 2026. For other grades, the Forsa scales show revised points that incorporate the accumulated increases from previous phases. The Forsa Pay Agreement Guide PDF confirms the agreement runs to 30 June 2026.

Forsa health grades

Forsa represents health professionals and publishes grade-specific scales on its website. The Chief Strategy Officer salary aligns with Chief Executive scales post-2026, according to Forsa Health Salary Scales. These documents together give a complete picture of how each grade fits into the 2024-2026 framework.

Why this matters

The February 2026 date is the last major scheduled adjustment before the agreement ends on 30 June 2026 — workers who started at the agreement’s beginning will have accumulated all increases by then, making this the point where you can best assess your total gain.

How much does an SNA get paid per month?

Special Needs Assistants (SNAs) in HSE services fall under the health sector pay agreement, which was approved by unions on 2 May 2025. The agreement represents a 9.25% increase over the 2.5-year period for up to 40,000 health and social care workers.

The Gov.ie Press Release notes €30 million additional funding for HSE in Budget 2025 specifically to cover agreement costs. The increases are backdated: 2.25% on 1 October 2024, 1% on 1 April 2025, 2% on 1 November 2025, 2% on 1 April 2026, and 2% on 1 October 2026.

Special Needs Assistant scales

While the HSE PDFs contain detailed grade listings, SNA-specific monthly breakdowns appear in role-specific documents. The health sector agreement applies to SNAs, meaning their pay scales follow the same phased adjustment schedule. The exact monthly figure depends on the SNA’s increment point as of the relevant effective date.

Monthly breakdowns

To calculate monthly gross pay for an SNA: take the annual scale point from the HSE PDF for the applicable effective date, divide by 12. The HSE Pay Scales page links to the relevant PDFs for each period.

The catch: the HSE PDFs show annual scales, not pre-calculated monthly amounts, and yellow-shaded inactive scales can cause confusion. Always verify you’re reading the current, non-shaded entry for your grade and increment.

What is the new salary increase for 2026?

The 2026 salary increase builds on the previous phases of the Public Sector Pay Agreement 2024-2026. According to the Irish Medical Organisation, the agreement includes 1% or €500 (greater) on 1 February 2026 and 1% on 1 June 2026.

The INMO Pay Agreement page confirms the 9.25% basic pay increase over January 2024 to June 2026, with local bargaining clause included. Nursing grades CNM2/CMM2, PHN, and CNM3/CMM3 increases were implemented from 30 September 2023.

Public sector agreement terms

The agreement was reached at the Workplace Relations Commission on 26 January 2024 after rejecting an 8.5% offer on 10 January 2024. The first year increase was 4.25% overall due to inflation adjustments. Local bargaining arrangements include an additional 1% of pay bill.

HSE-specific impacts

The health sector version of the agreement has slightly different timing than the general public sector — backdated to October 2024 rather than January 2024, with phased increases of 2.25% (October 2024), 1% (April 2025), 2% (November 2025), 2% (April 2026), and 2% (October 2026).

“I am really pleased to welcome the decision of the workers providing vital supports and services, who have voted to accept this new pay deal. This deal will provide a 9.25 per cent pay increase.”

— Norma Foley, Minister for Children, Disability and Equality (Gov.ie)

“The pay terms of the new agreement are valued at 9.25% over 2.5 years.”

— Forsa Union (Forsa FAQs)

The trade-off

The 9.25% total increase sounds straightforward, but the phasing means most workers see small incremental bumps spread across 2.5 years rather than one lump-sum adjustment — useful for budgeting, but less dramatic in any single payslip.

Upsides

  • 9.25% total increase over 2.5 years for health workers
  • Backdated adjustments recover money owed from October 2024
  • Local bargaining clause adds up to 1% of pay bill
  • Consolidated PDFs provide authoritative reference for each date
  • €30 million HSE funding in Budget 2025 ensures implementation
  • Agreement protections against outsourcing

Downsides

  • Exact increment percentages not published in public-facing PDFs
  • Post-2026 agreement details not yet available
  • Yellow-shaded inactive scales can cause confusion
  • February 2026 is the last major scheduled adjustment before agreement ends
  • Regional variations within Ireland not addressed
  • Specific SNA monthly breakdowns require manual calculation

Related reading: Road Tax Ireland Rates · Where Can I Find My Child’s PPS Number

Additional sources

healthservice.hse.ie, forsa.ie, scribd.com, siptu.ie, healthservice.hse.ie

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Frequently asked questions

These common queries address the specific questions readers ask most about HSE salary scales, effective dates, and role-based pay examples.

What are HSE salary scales for October 2025?

October 2025 falls within the August 2025 version 2 effective period. The August 2025 pay scales PDF applies until the next revision on 1 August 2025. The Government announcement confirms the schedule includes 2% on 1 November 2025, which would appear in any revised PDF published after that date.

Where to find HSE pay scales September 2025?

September 2025 falls within the August 2025 version 2 period. The HSE Pay Scales page (healthservice.hse.ie/staff/pay/pay-scales/) provides links to the current PDF. The August 2025 version 2 PDF is 1.3 MB and 69 pages, including all grades for that effective period.

Is €70,000 a good salary in Ireland?

Whether €70,000 is a strong salary depends on your grade and location. For reference, the HSE Chief Executive salary is €402,156 from February 2026, while an Analytical Chemist Executive starts at €54,440. €70,000 would place a health professional above entry-level but below senior management scales.

How much do you need to live comfortably in Ireland?

Comfortable living costs vary significantly by location — Dublin is notably more expensive than regional areas. A healthcare professional earning around the median HSE scale (roughly €45,000-€60,000 depending on grade and increment) would typically find modest accommodation manageable, though Dublin rental costs create pressure at lower pay points.

What is the 2024-2026 Public Sector Pay Agreement?

The Public Sector Pay Agreement 2024-2026 runs from 1 January 2024 to 30 June 2026, valued at 9.25% total. The agreement was reached at the Workplace Relations Commission on 26 January 2024 after rejecting an 8.5% offer on 10 January 2024.

What are pay scales for HSE health professionals?

HSE health professional scales vary by role — examples from the documents include Community Ophthalmic Physician (€149,573 on 1 August 2025), Senior Administrative Dental Surgeon (€120,326 LSIs on 1 March 2025), and Analytical Chemist Executive (€54,440-€83,757 from 1 February 2026). The exact scale depends on your grade and increment point.

When is the next HSE pay adjustment?

The next scheduled HSE pay adjustment is 1 February 2026, when revised health salary scales take effect under the 2024-2026 agreement. This includes a 1% or €500 increase (whichever is greater), followed by 1% on 1 June 2026 and 2% on 1 October 2026.

What are Special Needs Assistant salaries in HSE?

SNAs in HSE services receive pay under the health sector agreement, which provides a 9.25% increase over 2.5 years for up to 40,000 health and social care workers. The exact SNA scale point depends on increment stage. Detailed SNA scales are available in the HSE PDFs, with the monthly gross calculated by dividing the annual figure by 12.

What are the differences between public sector and health sector pay adjustments?

The general public sector agreement applied adjustments from January 2024 (2.25% or €1,125 greater) and June 2024 (1%). The health sector version backdated the first increase to October 2024 (2.25%), with subsequent adjustments on 1 April 2025 (1%), 1 November 2025 (2%), 1 April 2026 (2%), and 1 October 2026 (2%). This phased approach spreads increases across different periods than the general public sector.

How were nursing grades specifically affected?

Nursing grades CNM2/CMM2, PHN, and CNM3/CMM3 saw increases implemented from 30 September 2023 under previous agreements. The 2024-2026 agreement builds on those with the phased approach described above. The INMO confirms 9.25% basic pay increase over January 2024 to June 2026 with local bargaining clause.

What is the role of local bargaining?

Local bargaining arrangements include an additional 1% of pay bill on top of the 9.25% base increase. This allows individual workplaces to negotiate supplementary terms. The Irish Medical Organisation details these provisions as part of the public service agreement framework.