A member of the Force of Garda rank is entitled to 104 rest days and 34 other free days (annual leave) per year, excluding absences through illness or by way of special leave, e.g. sympathetic leave, transfer leave. A Garda therefore, works 227 days (1,816 hours)  (of 8hrs shifts or equivalent) per annum. Public Holidays when they fall to be so rostered are regarded as working days save that they command a special allowance. Subject to certain conditions, annual leave may be availed of in half days. Garda Síochána Code - Chapter 11 refers.

Members in  Designated Posts, who are not normally rostered for duty on Public Holidays, have, as a result, less control over the way in which they avail of their own free days. While a member who is rostered to work a public holiday which falls on a rostered working day can avail of all other free days by way of annual leave, a member who is not normally rostered for duty on a Public Holiday, has, in effect, less free days that may be taken as annual leave. This reduction in the number of free days which may be taken as annual leave, is , in part, compensated for by the grant to the member concerned of an extra four free days per annum. Such members have 104 rest days (weekend days) and 38 other free days per annum. Their entire yearly work requirement, excluding absences through illness or by way of special leave, is 223 days (1,784 hours)

Recoupment of annual leave lost due to illness is as follows:-

i). Where a member is absent from duty on certified sick leave at the conclusion of a leave year and is consequently unable to take the full amount of the annual leave otherwise allowable in that year, the annual leave not availed of (up to a maximum of ten days) may be carried forward to the new year.

ii). Annual leave carried forward in accordance with (I) above must be taken within two months of the member’s resumption of duty following sick leave.