PEO Services in Ireland

A co-employment model for companies that want to share the employer relationship in Ireland rather than hand it over entirely. Worth knowing up front: true PEO co-employment is far less established in Ireland than in the US, so we will tell you honestly whether PEO or an EOR genuinely fits, and place you with the right vetted partner.

  • Independent advice
  • Vetted partners
  • Honest positioning

What a PEO shares with you in Ireland

A Professional Employer Organisation works on a co-employment model. You keep day-to-day direction of your team; the PEO partner carries the employment administration: contracts, payroll, PAYE, PRSI, USC, and statutory benefits, all kept compliant with Irish law.

01

Shared employer role

You and the PEO partner share the employer responsibilities. You run the work; the partner runs the compliance, from written terms to WRC-proof procedures.

02

More direct control

PEO suits companies that want to retain more direct control of the employment relationship than a full EOR arrangement allows. In Ireland, true co-employment is uncommon, so EOR is usually the better fit.

03

Honest recommendation

For most companies hiring in Ireland, EOR is simpler. We will tell you honestly whether PEO genuinely fits your structure, or whether EOR serves you better.

How PEO works in Ireland, step by step

From assessing the fit to a compliant co-employment arrangement.

01 — Assess the fit

We map your structure, headcount, and how much control you want to keep, and tell you honestly whether PEO or EOR serves you better. No product push.

02 — Set up co-employment

If PEO fits, we place you with a vetted Irish partner and structure the shared employer arrangement correctly.

03 — Onboard your people

Compliant Irish employment terms with the statutory written particulars, correct probation, notice, and leave provisions.

04 — Payroll & compliance

PAYE, PRSI, USC, and Revenue submissions handled every payday, while you keep day-to-day direction of your people.

What PEO in Ireland costs, and when it beats EOR

As with EOR, two parts: the statutory cost of employment (predictable, set by law) and the partner’s fee (transparent before you commit).

Employer PRSI

PRSI (11.25% above EUR 552 a week, 9.0% below, rising from October 2026) and the auto-enrolment pension contribution are both handled as part of the co-employment structure, not left for you to track separately.

Minimum wage (2026)

EUR 14.15 per hour from 1 January 2026 on the standard 39-hour week; Employment Regulation Orders set higher floors in some sectors.

Income tax (employee)

PAYE, USC, and employee PRSI, withheld at source as part of the shared payroll administration.

PEO partner fee

A service fee for the co-employment administration. We benchmark across our vetted network, typically 15 to 25% below going direct.

Why arrange your Irish PEO through Bradford Jacobs

Why companies arrange Irish PEO through us rather than going direct to a single provider.

We tell you if PEO fits your needs

We are independent: we assess what you actually need, place you with the right vetted partner, secure pricing you will not get going direct, and stay on your side to escalate or renegotiate. You get advice, not a product pitch.

  • Independent advice
  • Vetted partners only
  • On your side at renewal

The quote, minus the padding

PEO pricing in Ireland is quote-driven and opaque from the outside. We benchmark against our network, strip out the padding, and renegotiate at renewal, so the co-employment convenience does not carry a convenience premium.

  • 15-25% below direct
  • Network benchmarking
  • Renegotiated for you

Straight to the top when it matters

When a payroll query or compliance question stalls, you call us, not a ticket queue. We escalate directly to senior people at the partner and stay on it until it is resolved.

  • Direct escalation
  • No support queues
  • Named account contact

Two decades of placements

Two decades of placements, and the pattern recognition that comes with them: which Irish obligations trip up foreign employers, which partners handle the WRC landscape well, and when PEO stops being the right answer.

  • Co-employment expertise
  • Honest fit advice
  • Right structure

We flex as your structure changes

PEO, EOR, and your own LTD sit on a spectrum, and the right point shifts as you grow. We advise on the path and manage the moves, EOR to PEO, or either into your own Irish company, as your presence develops.

  • EOR, PEO or entity
  • Transitions managed
  • Right fit as you grow

The WRC-enforced duties a PEO helps you carry

Whichever model you use, the underlying Irish rules are the same. Under a PEO arrangement, the administrative employer functions are handled for you.

Working time, leave & contracts

Compliant contracts and working-time rules: the 48-hour average cap, rest breaks, and Sunday premiums where they apply.

Statutory protections & exits

Statutory notice from one to eight weeks by service (Ireland is not at-will), probation capped at six months, and unfair-dismissal exposure managed from month twelve.

What a PEO arrangement covers

The co-employment administration covers all of this, under one transparent fee.

Compliant contract

A compliant Irish employment contract with all statutory written terms, issued and maintained for you.

Payroll & filings

Monthly payroll run, with PAYE, PRSI, and USC calculated, withheld, and reported to Revenue in real time.

Statutory benefits

All statutory benefits administered: annual leave, sick pay, parental leave, notice and severance.

Compliance & support

Ongoing HR compliance and a single point of contact, for the life of the engagement.

Your PEO questions, straight answers

Straight answers on how PEO co-employment works in Ireland.

What is the difference between PEO and EOR in Ireland?

With an EOR, the partner is the sole legal employer of your Irish staff. With a PEO, you and the partner share the employer relationship, you keep more direct control, they handle the administration. In Ireland, true co-employment is uncommon, so EOR is the usual route; PEO suits specific structures.

For most companies, EOR is simpler and faster, especially with no Irish entity. PEO fits when you want to share rather than outsource the employer role, or have a structure that calls for it. We assess your situation and recommend honestly.

It depends on the structure. Some co-employment arrangements assume or work alongside your own Irish entity. If you have no entity and want none, EOR is usually the cleaner route. We will confirm which applies to you.

The administrative employer functions, payroll, PAYE, PRSI, USC, statutory benefits, and Revenue submissions, are handled by the partner. We make sure the arrangement is structured so responsibilities are clear and Irish law is met.

The statutory employer cost (employer PRSI and auto-enrolment contributions, predictable and set by law) plus a partner service fee for the co-employment administration. We benchmark across our network for pricing typically 15 to 25% below going direct.

Yes. These models sit on a spectrum and the right one changes as you grow. We advise on the path and manage transitions, EOR to PEO, or either into your own Irish company, as your presence develops.

Not sure whether PEO or EOR is right for Ireland?

Tell us your structure and headcount and we will give you an honest recommendation, usually within a day, plus pricing you will not get direct. No product push, just the right fit.

Tax and labour data verified July 2026 (Revenue, WRC, Budget 2026 coverage). Figures change; we confirm current rates before you commit.