Civil Service Pay Scales Ireland 2026 (CO, EO, HEO, AO, AP & PO)
The full civil service pay scales for 2026 — Clerical Officer, Executive Officer, Higher Executive Officer, Administrative Officer, Assistant Principal and Principal Officer. These are the consolidated scales effective 1 June 2026, as published for the standard PPC scales (staff appointed on or after 6 April 1995, paying full PRSI).
Civil service salary scales at a glance (1 June 2026)
| Grade | Scale (standard, PPC) | Higher scale |
|---|---|---|
| Clerical Officer (CO) | €611.75 – €958.80 per week | €670.69 – €976.63 per week |
| Executive Officer (EO) | €38,803 – €63,227 | €41,871 – €65,628 |
| Higher Executive Officer (HEO) | €60,029 – €76,546 | €63,537 – €79,038 |
| Administrative Officer (AO) | €41,176 – €76,546 | €55,949 – €79,037 |
| Assistant Principal (AP) | €83,113 – €103,576 | — |
| Principal Officer (PO) | €108,152 – €133,775 | €116,397 – €143,541 |
Clerical Officer pay is published as a weekly rate: €611.75 a week at point 1 rising to €958.80 a week at the top long-service point — roughly €31,900 to €50,000 a year (weekly rate × 52.18, approximate).
How the scales work
- Increments: you start at (or near) point 1 of your grade and move up one point for each year of satisfactory service until you reach the maximum.
- Long-service increments (LSIs): the top figures shown are LSI points — LSI1 is payable after 3 years at the maximum, and LSI2 after 6 years.
- Higher scale: some grades have a higher scale for specific appointments or officers who meet particular criteria.
- Pay agreements: the whole scale is uplifted when national public-service pay agreements land — these figures include the adjustments applied up to 1 June 2026 under the Public Service Agreement 2024–2026.
Civil service vs HSE pay
The civil service (government departments and offices) and the HSE use similar grade structures but separate pay scales. For comparison, the HSE Clerical Officer (Grade III) scale runs €31,934 – €49,416, close to the civil service CO scale. If you are looking at health-sector roles, see our HSE salary scales by grade.
How to get a civil service job
Almost all civil service recruitment runs through open competitions on publicjobs.ie. Competitions for CO, EO and AO run regularly; successful candidates are placed on panels and offered posts in order of merit. Our guide to civil service interview questions covers the interview stage.
Want to know what a scale point means in your pocket? Use the take-home pay calculator to see any figure after tax, USC and PRSI.
Source: consolidated civil service salary scales effective 1 June 2026 (PPC scales), as published by DPER and reproduced by Fórsa. Always confirm the current scale point for a specific competition in its candidate information booklet.
Frequently asked questions
- How much does an Executive Officer (EO) earn in the civil service?
- The EO scale effective 1 June 2026 runs from €38,803 at point 1 to €63,227 at the top long-service increment, with a higher scale of €41,871–€65,628 for certain appointments.
- What is the HEO salary scale in Ireland?
- The Higher Executive Officer scale effective 1 June 2026 runs from €60,029 to €76,546 (LSI2), with a higher scale of €63,537–€79,038.
- How much does a civil service Clerical Officer earn?
- Clerical Officer pay is set weekly: €611.75 a week at point 1 rising to €958.80 at the top long-service point — roughly €31,900 to €50,000 a year.
- How do I join the Irish civil service?
- Through open competitions on publicjobs.ie. CO, EO and AO competitions run regularly; candidates who pass the tests and interview are placed on a panel and offered posts in order of merit.
- What is a long-service increment (LSI)?
- An extra scale point above the normal maximum: LSI1 is payable after 3 years at the maximum of the scale and LSI2 after 6 years.
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