The thresholds: when redundancies are collective
Count the redundancies in any period of 30 consecutive days and compare them with the size of the workforce.
| Workforce | Collective if, within 30 days, there are |
|---|---|
| 21 to 49 employees | 5 redundancies |
| 50 to 99 employees | 10 redundancies |
| 100 to 299 employees | 10% of the workforce |
| 300 or more employees | 30 redundancies |
Below 21 employees the collective rules do not apply, although every redundancy must still be genuine and fairly selected. The rules come from the Protection of Employment Acts 1977 to 2024.
What the employer must do
Consult, with a view to agreement
The employer must enter consultations with your representatives as soon as possible, and at least 30 days before notice of redundancy is given. The purpose is to look for alternatives to the redundancies, not simply to announce them. Where the employer has 50 or more staff, the Employees (Provision of Information and Consultation) Act 2006 also requires consultation on substantial workplace changes, including proposed collective redundancies.
Put the plan in writing
Your representatives must receive, in writing:
- The reasons for the redundancy
- The number and descriptions of the employees affected
- The number and descriptions of employees normally employed
- The period in which the redundancies will happen
- The criteria for selecting employees for redundancy
- The method of calculating any redundancy payment
The last item matters for you directly. Ask for the calculation method and check it against the statutory formula in the redundancy calculator. Anything offered above the statutory figure is an ex gratia payment.
Notify the Minister
The employer must inform the Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment in writing at least 30 days before the first redundancy takes effect. SI 324/2024 sets out what that notification must contain.
If the employer skips the 30 days
Being made redundant before the 30-day period has run gives you the right to seek redress from the Workplace Relations Commission. Keep the dates: when you were told, when written notice with an end date arrived, and when your employment ended.
When the company is insolvent
If the business becomes insolvent, the court may appoint a liquidator, provisional liquidator, receiver or another person to run it. The law calls them the “responsible person”. They step into the employer’s shoes in the consultation and must follow the same collective redundancy rules. They can continue a consultation the employer had already started; the 30 days do not restart on their appointment. These provisions are in the Employment (Collective Redundancies and Miscellaneous Provisions) and Companies (Amendment) Act 2024.
Your own payment in a collective redundancy
The collective rules govern process. The money is the same statutory redundancy everyone else gets: 2 weeks’ pay for each year of service plus 1 week, with weekly pay capped at €600, after 104 weeks of service, and it is tax-free. Ten years of service at €600 or more a week is 21 weeks, €12,600; twenty years is 41 weeks, €24,600. Notice of 1 to 8 weeks is paid on top; see the redundancy notice period guide.
Frequently asked questions
What counts as a collective redundancy in Ireland?
Redundancies within any period of 30 consecutive days that reach the threshold for the size of the workforce: 5 in a firm of 21 to 49 employees, 10 in a firm of 50 to 99, 10% in a firm of 100 to 299, and 30 in a firm of 300 or more.
How long is the consultation period for collective redundancies?
At least 30 days. Consultation with employee representatives must start as soon as possible and at least 30 days before notice of redundancy is given. The employer must also inform the Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment in writing at least 30 days before the first redundancy takes effect.
Do I still get statutory redundancy in a collective redundancy?
Yes. The collective rules add consultation and information duties for the employer; your individual entitlement is unchanged: 2 weeks' pay per year of service plus 1 week, weekly pay capped at €600, after 104 weeks of service, plus your notice.
What if my employer makes me redundant before the 30 days are up?
You can seek redress from the Workplace Relations Commission. The 30-day consultation and the 30-day notice to the Minister are legal requirements under the Protection of Employment Acts 1977 to 2024.
What happens to collective redundancy rules if the company goes into liquidation?
The liquidator, receiver or other court-appointed person becomes the "responsible person" and takes the employer’s place in the consultation. The same rules apply. They may continue a consultation the employer had already started without restarting the 30 days.
Sources: thresholds, the 30-day consultation, the written information list, notice to the Minister, SI 324/2024, the WRC redress and the insolvency rules from citizensinformation.ie, What is redundancy? (Collective redundancies) (page edited 11 August 2026), read on 22 September 2026. The statutory formula and €600 cap are the ones used across this site, from citizensinformation.ie, Redundancy payments.