This guide covers the full midwifery pay scale in Ireland for 2026, from newly qualified staff midwife through to senior midwifery management, including enhanced midwife roles, CNM midwifery grades, and INMO-negotiated rates.
Staff Midwife Salary Ireland 2026
A staff midwife is a registered midwife employed in a clinical role without management responsibility. The pay scale is identical to the staff nurse scale.
Staff Midwife Pay Scale (February 2026)
| Point | Annual Salary (€) | Approximate Weekly Gross |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 37,788 | €726 |
| 2 | 39,760 | €764 |
| 3 | 40,767 | €783 |
| 4 | 42,098 | €809 |
| 5 | 43,775 | €841 |
| 6 | 45,452 | €873 |
| 7 | 47,120 | €905 |
| 8 | 48,563 | €933 |
| 9 | 50,009 | €961 |
| 10 | 51,458 | €989 |
| 11 | 52,937 | €1,018 |
| 12 | 54,412 | €1,046 |
| LSI | 56,032 | €1,077 |
Starting salary for a newly qualified midwife in Ireland: €37,788
Previous nursing or midwifery experience may be credited on appointment, allowing you to start at a higher point on the scale. Each year of relevant experience typically equates to one increment point.
How Does Midwife Pay Compare to Nurse Pay?
Midwives and nurses in the HSE are paid from the same basic pay scale at staff grade. The distinction comes at specialist and advanced grades where midwifery-specific roles attract different rates.
| Grade | Midwifery | Nursing |
|---|---|---|
| Staff grade | Same scale | Same scale |
| Enhanced | Same scale | Same scale |
| CNM grades | Same scale | Same scale |
| ANP/AMP | Separate advanced midwife scale | ANP scale |
Enhanced Midwife Salary Ireland 2026
The Enhanced Midwife role was created to retain skilled clinical midwives in bedside roles. Enhanced midwives are experienced practitioners who take on additional clinical responsibilities without moving into management.
Enhanced Midwife Pay Scale (February 2026)
| Point | Annual Salary (€) |
|---|---|
| 1 | 48,608 |
| 2 | 50,291 |
| 3 | 52,119 |
| 4 | 53,930 |
| 5 | 55,882 |
| LSI | 57,892 |
Enhanced Midwife Salary Range: €48,608 – €57,892
Senior Enhanced Midwife Pay Scale
| Point | Annual Salary (€) |
|---|---|
| 1 | 55,882 |
| 2 | 57,892 |
| LSI | 59,968 |
CNM Midwifery Salaries Ireland 2026
Midwives who move into management progress through the same CNM grades as nurses. The titles may include “Clinical Midwife Manager” (CMM) in some settings.
CNM1 (Midwifery) Pay Scale
| Point | Annual Salary (€) |
|---|---|
| 1 | 57,208 |
| 2 | 58,246 |
| 3 | 59,709 |
| 4 | 61,198 |
| 5 | 62,678 |
| 6 | 64,167 |
| 7 | 65,826 |
| 8 | 67,372 |
CNM2 (Midwifery) Pay Scale
| Point | Annual Salary (€) |
|---|---|
| 1 | 62,078 |
| 2 | 63,106 |
| 3 | 63,975 |
| 4 | 65,394 |
| 5 | 66,963 |
| 6 | 68,504 |
| 7 | 70,045 |
| 8 | 71,779 |
| 9 | 73,389 |
| 10 | 76,159 |
| LSI | 78,443 |
CNM3 (Midwifery) Pay Scale
| Point | Annual Salary (€) |
|---|---|
| 1 | 71,432 |
| 2 | 72,845 |
| 3 | 76,419 |
| 4 | 77,825 |
| 5 | 79,239 |
| 6 | 80,671 |
Advanced Midwife Practitioner (AMP) Salary Ireland 2026
Advanced Midwife Practitioners (AMPs) hold a Master’s-level qualification and practise with a high degree of autonomy. The AMP pathway mirrors the ANP pathway for nurses.
| Grade | Salary Range (€) |
|---|---|
| Candidate AMP (cAMP) | See February 2026 HSE circular |
| Registered AMP (rAMP) | 68,493 – 82,015 (8 points) |
AMP salaries are set at the advanced practice nursing/midwifery level. Exact scale points depend on experience credited and should be confirmed with your employer at appointment.
Midwifery Manager / Director of Midwifery Salary
| Grade | Salary Range (€) |
|---|---|
| Assistant Director of Midwifery/Nursing | See February 2026 HSE circular |
| Director of Midwifery/Nursing | See February 2026 HSE circular |
Directors of Midwifery in larger maternity hospitals (National Maternity Hospital, Rotunda, Cork University Maternity Hospital) may have enhanced scales reflecting the complexity and size of their service.
Full Midwifery Career Pay Progression Summary
| Grade | Minimum (€) | Maximum (€) |
|---|---|---|
| Staff Midwife | 37,788 | 56,032 (LSI) |
| CNM1 (Midwifery) | 57,208 | 67,372 |
| CNM2 (Midwifery) | 62,078 | 78,443 (LSI) |
| CNM3 (Midwifery) | 71,432 | 80,671 |
| Registered AMP | 68,493 | 82,015 |
| Asst. Director of Midwifery | See February 2026 circular | See February 2026 circular |
| Director of Midwifery | See February 2026 circular | See February 2026 circular |
Midwife Allowances and Premium Payments 2026
Midwives working rostered shifts are entitled to premium payments on top of their basic salary:
| Premium | Rate |
|---|---|
| Night duty | 25% of hourly rate |
| Saturday | 25% of hourly rate |
| Sunday | 50% of hourly rate |
| Public holidays | Double time |
| On-call | Per circular |
Midwives working in busy maternity units with a high proportion of night and weekend shifts can significantly increase their total earnings through these premiums.
How to Qualify as a Midwife in Ireland
To practice as a midwife in Ireland you must be registered with the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Ireland (NMBI). There are two main routes:
Direct Entry Midwifery
A 4-year Level 8 Bachelor of Midwifery degree. Graduates register as midwives only (not nurses). This route is available at:
- University College Cork (UCC)
- University College Dublin (UCD)
- Trinity College Dublin (TCD)
Post-Registration Midwifery
A 2-year midwifery programme for registered nurses who wish to also register as midwives. Offered at several sites in partnership with Irish universities.
Midwife Jobs in Ireland
Midwife vacancies in Ireland are advertised on:
- HSE Jobs (hse.ie/jobs) — the primary source for public health service midwifery posts
- jobvacancies.ie — all current HSE and public sector nursing/midwifery vacancies
- Individual maternity hospital websites
The major employers of midwives in Ireland are:
- National Maternity Hospital, Dublin
- Rotunda Hospital, Dublin
- Coombe Women & Infants University Hospital, Dublin
- Cork University Maternity Hospital
- University Hospital Galway (Maternity)
- University Maternity Hospital Limerick
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: What is the starting salary for a newly qualified midwife in Ireland?
A: €37,788 per annum (Point 1 of the staff midwife scale, February 2026 rates).
Q: Is midwife pay the same as nurse pay in Ireland?
A: At staff grade, yes — the basic pay scale is identical. At specialist and advanced levels, midwifery-specific scales apply.
Q: Can nursing experience count towards the midwife pay scale?
A: Yes. Prior nursing experience is typically credited on a point-for-point basis on appointment as a midwife.
Q: How long does it take to reach the top of the midwife pay scale?
A: The staff midwife scale has 12 incremental points plus a Long Service Increment (LSI) — approximately 12–13 years of satisfactory service to reach the LSI of €56,032.
Q: What is a Director of Midwifery paid?
A: Between €85,346 and €94,862, depending on their point on the scale.
Q: Do midwives get the INMO pay increases?
A: Yes. Midwives are INMO members and receive the same negotiated pay increases as nurses.
Q: What is an enhanced midwife?
A: An enhanced midwife is a senior clinical midwife who takes on additional responsibilities in a bedside role without moving into management. The pay range is €48,608 – €57,892.
Summary
- Staff midwives start at €37,788 (February 2026)
- The staff midwife scale runs to €56,032 (LSI)
- CNM midwifery management grades follow the same scale as nursing CNMs
- Directors of Midwifery earn up to €94,862
- Premium payments for nights, weekends, and public holidays apply to rostered staff
