Location allowance

The location allowance is €2,554 based on 1st October 2023 salary scales. 

A location allowance is payable to nurses/midwives when employed on duties in the following locations: 

•  A&E Departments 
• Theatre/OR 
• Intensive/Coronary Care Units 
• High Dependency Units 
• Cancer/Oncology Units 
• Renal Units 
• Neo Natal Units (ICU) 
• Endoscopy Units 
• Specialist Ambulatory Dialysis Units 
• Geriatric Units/Long-Stay Hospitals or Units in County Homes 
• Acute Admissions Units in Mental Health Services 
• Secure Units in Mental Health Services 
• Units for the Severe & Profoundly Handicapped in Mental Handicap Services* 
  (*only applies to nurses in institutions where 75% or more of the residents fall into this category)  

With effect from 1 January 2004 - (Circular 33/2004) 

• Care of the Elderly (excluding Care of the Elderly Day Care Centres) 
• Alzheimer’s Units in both Mental Health Services and the Intellectual Disability Sector 

• Psycho-geriatric Wards 
• Elderly Mentally Infirm Units 
• Psychiatry of Later Life Service 

With effect from 1 March 2019  

• Medical/Surgical Wards, 
• Maternity Departments  

No.  A nurse/midwife may benefit from either a qualification allowance or a location allowance - the higher of the two - when working on qualifying duties.

A staff nurse/midwife can only receive either a dual qualified scale or a location allowance, whichever is greater, but not both.  The exceptions to this are staff nurses/midwives who were already being paid on the dual qualified scale on October 1, 1996.  In these cases, the value of the location/qualification allowance is €1,597 which they receive in addition to their dual qualified scale. 

If you are on sick leave and you are receiving full pay you will continue to receive the full location allowance.  If you are receiving half pay your allowance is reduced on a pro-rata basis.

If you are on maternity leave and you are receiving your normal pay you will continue to receive the location allowance.

Yes.  The location allowance is superannuable.

No. The location allowance is not reckonable for overtime premiums.