No sector agreement, one act.
There is no sector agreement for vet practices in Ireland. The Registered Employment Agreement (Veterinary Ireland) Order 2019 only covers Temporary Veterinary Inspectors working for the Department of Agriculture, not practice staff. The rules below come from the Organisation of Working Time Act 1997.
The limits that shape a month.
Some activities are exempt from the daily rest, breaks, weekly rest and night limits, with compensatory rest instead (S.I. 21/1998). Vet practices are not named in that list: treating a practice as exempt is an interpretation to check with your adviser, not a given. The 48-hour average and the notice of hours apply in every case.
Out-of-hours cover.
The Veterinary Council of Ireland’s Code of Professional Conduct asks veterinary practitioners in practice to make proper provision at all times for 24-hour emergency cover for the animals under their care, at least first aid and pain relief. The cover can be shared with other practices nearby, and clients must be told how it works.
The monthly rota checklist.
- Each person’s hours against their contract, and the rolling 48-hour average.
- 11 consecutive hours between the end of one shift and the start of the next, on-call call-outs included.
- Weekly rest for everyone.
- Breaks written into long days.
- Nights spread so the night worker limits are respected.
The version with a tool.
With Djed, the rules you set (days off, a limit on days per week, consecutive days, rest days after on-call, closures) are constraints the engine doesn’t break when it builds the month. They are day-based rules that approximate the law: limits counted in hours (11 hours, weekly rest, the 48-hour average, breaks) are not checked. Compliance is for you and your adviser.
Sources and date checked.
- Organisation of Working Time Act 1997, revised edition (sections 11 to 17 and 25).
- Veterinary Council of Ireland, Code of Professional Conduct, chapter 3.
- S.I. 21/1998, Organisation of Working Time (General Exemptions) Regulations 1998.
Texts checked on 5 October 2026. This guide is not legal advice: for your own situation, speak to your HR or employment adviser.
Where to go next.
- The exact rest after a night, case by case: rest after on-call.
- When on-call counts as working time, and what to put in the contract: our on-call guide.
- Three long days a week, and what it costs in cover: three long days.
- Nights, the 8-hour average and who counts as a night worker: night workers.
- Proving those hours, a duty of its own: three years of working time records.
Frequently asked questions.
Is there a collective agreement for Irish vet practices?
No. The only veterinary order (S.I. 662/2019) covers Temporary Veterinary Inspectors, not practice staff. The Organisation of Working Time Act 1997 and each contract apply.
Is overtime paid at a higher rate by law?
No: Irish law sets no overtime premium. The contract decides.
Does Djed apply the OWT Act on its own?
No. You set day-based rules (days off, limits, rest days) and the engine doesn’t break them; limits counted in hours aren’t checked, and compliance is for you and your adviser.