What’s happening in January?

Statutory sick leave pay

On 1 January 2024, the entitlement to paid sick leave increased from 3 days to 5 days.

Brown bins 

From January 2024, your waste collection company must provide you with a brown bin collection service. This applies to all households in Ireland, except households on off-shore islands.  

Changes to State Pension (Contributory)

Since 1 January 2024, you can:  

• Start claiming your State Pension (Contributory) at any age between 66 and 70
• Get Long-Term Carers Contributions to fill gaps in your contribution record for the State Pension (Contributory) 

Changes to Pay-Related Social Insurance (PRSI)  

From 1 January 2024, the upper age limit for PRSI exemption changed from 66 to age 70. This applies to the employee, the employer and people who are self-employed.  

This does not apply to: 

• People who are already getting State Pension (Contributory) 
• People who are 66 years by 1 January 2024 (born before 1 January 1958) 

New fines covering tips and gratuities

Businesses found breaching the rules covering tips and gratuities will now face on-the-spot fines of: 

• €1,500 for not providing employees with their terms of employment or giving false information
• €750 for not giving employees a written statement about how tips and gratuities are distributed or for not treating a service charge as a tip
• €500 for not displaying a tips and gratuities notice

Microgeneration scheme 

From 1 January 2024 until 31 December 2025 if you sell your excess renewable energy back to the national grid, you are eligible for a tax exemption of up to €400 per year on the income generated from selling your excess electricity.

Student maintenance grants 

From January 2024, there will be an increase in the 2023/2024 SUSI maintenance grant rate.

From January 2024, postgraduate students who meet the income thresholds can apply to SUSI for a maintenance grant. It will be paid from January to May for this academic year. 

What’s changing soon?

Bottle deposit return scheme 

From 1 February 2024, you will be charged a small refundable deposit on certain drinks containers with the Re-turn logo in shops, which you can then claim back by returning the empty and undamaged container. 

The cost of the deposit will be automatically added to the cost of the item. If your container does not have the Re-turn logo on it, you cannot return it and it should be recycled as normal.

New Pay-Related Jobseeker's Benefit

The Government has approved plans to draft laws for a new Pay-Related Jobseeker's Benefit. The new system is expected to be introduced before the end of 2024. 

Under the new system, there will be 3 rates of payment: 

• A top rate of €450, or 60% of your last income, for people with at least 5 years of PRSI contributions (the €450 rate will be paid for the first 6 months) 
• A second rate of €375, or 55% of your last income (paid for the following 3 months) 
• A third rate of €300, or 50% of your last income (this paid for the final 3 months)

The minimum weekly payment under the new system will be €125. Jobseeker’s Benefit (Self-Employed) will still be available for people who are self-employed. 

Changes to Tenant Purchase Scheme

On 29 January 2024, the qualifying criteria for the Tenant Purchase Scheme will change. These changes include:  

• The minimum annual income will be reduced to €11,000 a year from €12,500
• If you have a joint tenancy, only one tenant will need to have been getting social housing support for at least 10 years

1916 Bursary applications closing

Applications for the 1916 Bursary, which provides funding to students from disadvantaged backgrounds under-represented in higher education, will close on 25 January 2024.