A complete, up-to-date guide to HSE pay scales from 1 August 2025 for nurses, healthcare assistants and admin staff, including salary tables, career progression, shift differentials, allowances and FAQs.
Table of Contents
- How HSE pay scales work in 2025
- Nursing and midwifery pay scales 2025
- Clinical Nurse/Midwife Manager scales (selected)
- Nursing leadership roles
- Healthcare assistant and patient care pay
- Health Care Assistant pay scales 2025
- Other patient care and disability roles
- Clerical, admin and support staff pay
- Support services (domestic, catering, portering)
- Clerical / management (overview)
- Shift differentials, allowances and on‑call payments
- Nursing allowances and theatre on‑call
- Paramedical and HSCP premia
- Support and clerical allowances
- Career progression on HSE pay scales
- Frequently asked questions about HSE pay scales 2025
- How are HSE pay scales updated?
- Can HSE employers pay above the published scale?
- How do part‑time and work‑sharing salaries work?
- What are LSIs, and who gets them?
- Where should jobseekers check their individual starting point?
- Related Posts
HSE Pay Scales 2025 – Complete Grade‑by‑Grade Guide
If you are applying for HSE or Section 38 jobs in 2025, understanding the latest HSE pay scales is essential. From staff nurse and healthcare assistant to clerical officer and consultant, every public health role is paid according to nationally approved salary scales updated on 1 August 2025.
This guide explains how HSE pay scales work, shows key salary tables for popular grades, and answers common questions about increments, allowances and shift differentials.
How HSE pay scales work in 2025
HSE pay scales are consolidated national salary tables issued by the Department of Health and approved by the Minister for Public Expenditure, NDP Delivery and Reform. The latest version took effect on 1 August 2025 under the Public Service Agreement 2024–2026, with increases to basic pay and allowances in the nature of pay.
Key features:
- Every recognised grade (nursing, medical, admin, support, HSCP etc.) has a defined multi‑point scale with annual salaries for each point.
- Long Service Increments (LSIs) are shown in bold in the official tables and reward extended service at the top of a scale.
- Employers must not pay basic salary or pensionable allowances above the relevant scale point for a grade, even from non‑Exchequer funds.
For non‑whole‑time staff, weekly pay is calculated by dividing the annual rate by 52.18, and then applying the appropriate pro‑rata fraction for part‑time or work‑sharing hours.
Nursing and midwifery pay scales 2025
The nursing and midwifery section of the 1 August 2025 scales covers everything from staff nurse to director level. Below are selected tables for high‑demand grades.
Clinical Nurse/Midwife Manager scales (selected)
All figures below are annual basic salaries effective 1 August 2025.
| Grade | Points | Entry point | Mid‑scale example | Max point (pre‑LSI) | LSI (where shown) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Clinical Nurse Manager 1 / Clinical Midwife Manager 1 | 8 | €56,642 | €60,592 | €66,705 | Not separately listed, but LSIs are shown as bold where they apply. |
| Clinical Nurse Manager 2 / Clinical Nurse Specialist / Community Mental Health Nurse | 11 | €61,463 | €69,351 | €72,662 | €77,666 (LSI). |
| Clinical Nurse Manager 3 / Clinical Midwife Manager 3 | 6 | €70,725 | €77,054 | €79,872 | LSI rules apply where LSIs exist. |
Nurse managers progress one point per year of satisfactory service until they reach the top of the scale, and can then move onto LSIs after 3 years on the maximum point.
Nursing leadership roles
At senior level, nursing and midwifery pay scales reach well into six figures.
- Director of Nursing (Band 1 General): €94,717–€110,518 across 7 points.
- Director of Public Health Nursing: €92,855–€106,959 across 6 points.
- Assistant Director of Nursing (Band 1 Hospitals): €71,408–€88,123 across 9 points.
These bands reflect the responsibility for large teams, budgets and clinical governance across hospitals and community services.
Healthcare assistant and patient care pay
Healthcare assistants (HCAs) and related support grades are among the most heavily recruited roles, so clear pay information is valuable for jobseekers.
Health Care Assistant pay scales 2025
The 2025 scales distinguish between Band 1 and Band 2 HCAs, with some locations specifically designated for Band 1.
| Grade | Band / Notes | Points | Entry point | Max point |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Health Care Assistant Band 1 (code 6012/6017 etc.) | Band 1 in specified hospitals and services | 7 | €41,117 | €48,064. |
| Health Care Assistant Band 2 (code 6075) | General HCA, rebanded from Band 3 | 9 | €35,788 | €44,984. |
| Health & Social Care Assistant (code 6019) | Same Band 2 scale | 9 | €35,788 | €44,984. |
| Attendant / Multi‑Task Attendant (code 6015) | Band 2 after rebanding | 9 | €35,788 | €44,984. |
Certain Band 1 HCAs (for example at St Ita’s Portrane, Central Mental Hospital, National Rehabilitation Hospital and some mental health services) retain higher scales due to historical agreements, and pension calculations for these posts use Band 1 rates from 1 September 2019.
Other patient care and disability roles
The patient/client care section also includes:
- Care Assistant – Disability Services (code 6482): €34,036 entry rising to €47,454 plus LSI.
- Dental Nurse with qualification (code 6437): multi‑point scale from €31,488 to €54,419 plus LSI.
These roles often offer progression to supervisory or professional grades (e.g. nursing, social care or dental hygiene) via further training and internal competitions.
Clerical, admin and support staff pay
Clerical officers, porters, domestics and catering staff are the backbone of HSE services. The 2025 pay scales set out separate bands for these groups.
Support services (domestic, catering, portering)
| Grade | Points | Entry point | Max point |
|---|---|---|---|
| Domestic (code 4110, Band 4) | 9 | €34,582 | €40,783. |
| Catering Assistant (Band 3, code 4123) | 9 | €35,547 | €43,150. |
| Porter / Driver‑Porter (Band 3, codes 4197, 4908) | 9 | €35,547 | €43,150. |
| Laundry Worker (Band 4, code 4900) | 9 | €34,582 | €40,783. |
Many of these grades were “rebanded” upwards (for example, from Band 4 to Band 3) following job evaluation and national agreements, with instructions that pension benefits for new retirees are calculated using the higher band from specific effective dates.
Clerical / management (overview)
The clerical and management scales run from junior clerical officer up to HSE CEO level.
For your recruitment site, the most relevant ranges are:
- Clerical Officer / Grade III: multi‑point scale in the mid‑€30k to low‑€40k range.
- Executive Officer / Grade IV: low‑€40k entry rising into the €50k band.
- Higher Executive Officer / Grade VI: mid‑€50k to circa €70k including LSIs.
- Grade VII (middle management): high‑€60k into €80k+ when LSIs apply.
Above this, assistant national director and national director grades range from about €120,000 to over €200,000 per year, with the HSE CEO scale set at €398,174 as of 1 August 2025.
Shift differentials, allowances and on‑call payments
Basic salary is only part of total earnings in many HSE roles. The 2025 scales include detailed premia, allowances and sessional rates for out‑of‑hours work.
Nursing allowances and theatre on‑call
Nursing and midwifery staff can receive location and qualification allowances where they meet the criteria.
Examples include:
- Location allowance for nurses in specific high‑dependency areas (ICU, ED, oncology, long‑stay elderly, secure mental health units, certain maternity departments and medical/surgical wards) – €2,716–€4,121 depending on category.
- Midwifery qualification allowance and dual‑qualification allowance, restored for new entrants under Department of Health circulars.
Theatre on‑call arrangements provide:
- On‑call with standby (12‑hour blocks) from Monday to Sunday with higher rates on Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays.
- Call‑out fees per operation, increasing with the length of the operation and with higher rates after 22:00.
Sexual Assault Treatment Unit (SATU) forensic nurse examiners have specific on‑call and call‑out fees, including a 12‑hour on‑call rate and a case‑based payment for each attendance at a SATU.
Paramedical and HSCP premia
Allied health and laboratory professions benefit from structured out‑of‑hours payments.
- Medical scientists and biochemists: enhanced evening, night and weekend hourly rates plus stand‑by payments for off‑site on‑call, with higher rates at weekends and on public holidays.
- Physiotherapists: on‑call with and without standby, plus fees per call and sessional rates for scheduled Saturday/Sunday/public holiday treatments.
- Radiographers: separate out‑of‑hours rates for core modalities and CT, with different premiums for evenings, nights and Sunday/public holiday work.
General paramedical, psychology and social work sessional rates are set per 3‑hour session, with a higher composite rate when two sessions are delivered at the same site on the same day.
Support and clerical allowances
Support services and clerical/management grades also have some specific allowances.
- Craftworkers receive a tool allowance of €888 per year, restored for post‑2012 entrants from 1 January 2018, with the same value in 2024.
- Some support grades have Saturday premiums (e.g. €13.31 or €18.82 depending on grade and setting) for rostered weekend work.
- Certain clerical/management posts attract fixed annual allowances (for example, community care administrator or welfare home matron allowances), all itemised in the allowances section.
Only allowances listed in the consolidated scales or associated circulars may be paid, and rates cannot be varied locally.
Career progression on HSE pay scales
Because all HSE and Section 38 bodies use the same consolidated scales, career progression is transparent and predictable.
Typical pathways include:
- Nursing and midwifery
- Staff Nurse / Registered Midwife → Clinical Nurse/Midwife Manager 1 → CNM/CMM 2 → CNM/CMM 3 / Advanced Nurse/Midwife Practitioner → Assistant Director of Nursing/Midwifery → Director of Nursing/Midwifery.
- Healthcare assistants and support
- Health Care Assistant / Health & Social Care Assistant → senior HCA or multi‑task roles where available, or progression to nursing/social care via funded training and open competitions.
- Allied Health (HSCP)
- Therapy Assistant (physio, OT, SLT, radiography etc.) → basic grade therapist → senior → clinical specialist or manager.
- Admin and management
- Clerical Officer → Executive Officer → Higher Executive Officer → Grade VII → Grade VIII → Regional/national management posts.
Incremental progression is generally one point per year of satisfactory service, while LSIs are awarded after 3 years at the maximum and then every 3 years at each LSI point where multiple LSIs exist.
Temporary higher‑grade appointments are tightly controlled: pay at the higher grade does not apply until an employee has exceeded 84 days in the temporary post, at which point it is backdated to day 1, and contracts over 12 months require Department of Health sanction.
Frequently asked questions about HSE pay scales 2025
How are HSE pay scales updated?
Pay scales are revised through Public Service Agreements and associated Department of Health circulars, which set percentage increases on basic pay and allowances from specified dates such as 1 March 2025 and 1 August 2025. The August 2025 document is described as “Health Sector Consolidated Salary Scales” and replaces earlier versions for current staff.
Can HSE employers pay above the published scale?
No. The consolidated salary scales state that salary scales “must be strictly adhered to” and that no employee may receive remuneration in the nature of pay and allowances higher than that prescribed for their grade. Non‑Exchequer funds cannot be used to top up basic pay or pensionable allowances.
How do part‑time and work‑sharing salaries work?
First, apply any general percentage increase to the full‑time basic salary for the grade; then calculate the part‑time or work‑sharing rate on a strict pro‑rata basis. As a rule of thumb, weekly rates can be found by dividing the updated annual basic rate by 52.18.
What are LSIs, and who gets them?
Long Service Increments (LSIs) are extra salary points beyond the normal maximum, shown in bold in the tables. Staff usually receive the 1st LSI after 3 years on the maximum point, with the 2nd and 3rd LSIs (where present) each paid after a further 3 years at the previous point.
Where should jobseekers check their individual starting point?
The scales provide the authorised salary points, but starting placement depends on previous relevant service, qualifications and HR policies. Candidates and staff are advised to contact their own HR department or hiring organisation for confirmation of their specific point and any recognised service.
