Public-sector pay scale · 2026
Defence Forces Pay Scales Ireland 2026
The Defence Forces pay scale runs from €33,973 to €252,489 a year in 2026, across every grade from Private, 3 Star / Seaman First Class to Military Judge. After income tax, USC and PRSI, that is about €29,187 to €137,364 in take-home pay for a single person.
Defence Forces — every grade, point 1 to maximum
Full consolidated scale by grade, effective 1 June 2026. Expand a grade to see every point; take-home shown is for a single PAYE worker.
Private, 3 Star / Seaman First Class €33,973 – €41,260
| Point | Basic / week | Basic / year | Incl. allowance | Take-home / year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Point 1 | €653.32 | €33,973 | €42,743 | |
| Point 2 | €680.89 | €35,406 | €44,176 | |
| Point 3 | €706.32 | €36,729 | €45,499 | |
| Point 4 | €727.27 | €37,818 | €46,588 | |
| Point 5 | €743.35 | €38,654 | €47,424 | |
| Point 6 | €752.73 | €39,142 | €47,912 | |
| Point 7 (max) | €793.46 | €41,260 | €50,030 |
Military Service Allowance of €8,770 a year (€168.65 a week) is paid on top of basic at this rank — the “incl. allowance” column. It is taxable, so the take-home column, which is on basic alone, understates what you actually receive; put the inclusive figure into the calculator below for the real number.
Corporal / Leading Seaman €42,221 – €44,611
| Point | Basic / week | Basic / year | Incl. allowance | Take-home / year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Point 1 | €811.94 | €42,221 | €50,991 | |
| Point 2 | €827.19 | €43,014 | €51,784 | |
| Point 3 | €842.61 | €43,816 | €52,586 | |
| Point 4 (max) | €857.91 | €44,611 | €53,381 |
Military Service Allowance of €8,770 a year (€168.65 a week) is paid on top of basic at this rank — the “incl. allowance” column. It is taxable, so the take-home column, which is on basic alone, understates what you actually receive; put the inclusive figure into the calculator below for the real number.
Sergeant / Petty Officer €45,730 – €48,605
| Point | Basic / week | Basic / year | Incl. allowance | Take-home / year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Point 1 | €879.43 | €45,730 | €54,500 | |
| Point 2 | €897.87 | €46,689 | €55,459 | |
| Point 3 | €916.22 | €47,643 | €56,413 | |
| Point 4 (max) | €934.72 | €48,605 | €57,375 |
Military Service Allowance of €8,770 a year (€168.65 a week) is paid on top of basic at this rank — the “incl. allowance” column. It is taxable, so the take-home column, which is on basic alone, understates what you actually receive; put the inclusive figure into the calculator below for the real number.
C.Q.M.S. / Senior Petty Officer €51,970 – €55,695
| Point | Basic / week | Basic / year | Incl. allowance | Take-home / year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Point 1 | €999.42 | €51,970 | €61,306 | |
| Point 2 | €1,023.00 | €53,196 | €62,532 | |
| Point 3 | €1,046.78 | €54,433 | €63,769 | |
| Point 4 (max) | €1,071.05 | €55,695 | €65,031 |
Military Service Allowance of €9,336 a year (€179.54 a week) is paid on top of basic at this rank — the “incl. allowance” column. It is taxable, so the take-home column, which is on basic alone, understates what you actually receive; put the inclusive figure into the calculator below for the real number.
Company Sergeant / Chief Petty Officer €52,841 – €56,614
| Point | Basic / week | Basic / year | Incl. allowance | Take-home / year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Point 1 | €1,016.17 | €52,841 | €62,177 | |
| Point 2 | €1,039.95 | €54,077 | €63,413 | |
| Point 3 | €1,064.04 | €55,330 | €64,666 | |
| Point 4 (max) | €1,088.73 | €56,614 | €65,950 |
Military Service Allowance of €9,336 a year (€179.54 a week) is paid on top of basic at this rank — the “incl. allowance” column. It is taxable, so the take-home column, which is on basic alone, understates what you actually receive; put the inclusive figure into the calculator below for the real number.
B.Q.M.S. / Senior Chief Petty Officer €57,165 – €61,630
| Point | Basic / week | Basic / year | Incl. allowance | Take-home / year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Point 1 | €1,099.32 | €57,165 | €66,501 | |
| Point 2 | €1,127.98 | €58,655 | €67,991 | |
| Point 3 | €1,156.38 | €60,132 | €69,468 | |
| Point 4 (max) | €1,185.19 | €61,630 | €70,966 |
Military Service Allowance of €9,336 a year (€179.54 a week) is paid on top of basic at this rank — the “incl. allowance” column. It is taxable, so the take-home column, which is on basic alone, understates what you actually receive; put the inclusive figure into the calculator below for the real number.
Sergeant-Major / Warrant Officer €58,655 – €63,130
| Point | Basic / week | Basic / year | Incl. allowance | Take-home / year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Point 1 | €1,127.98 | €58,655 | €67,991 | |
| Point 2 | €1,156.38 | €60,132 | €69,468 | |
| Point 3 | €1,185.19 | €61,630 | €70,966 | |
| Point 4 (max) | €1,214.03 | €63,130 | €72,466 |
Military Service Allowance of €9,336 a year (€179.54 a week) is paid on top of basic at this rank — the “incl. allowance” column. It is taxable, so the take-home column, which is on basic alone, understates what you actually receive; put the inclusive figure into the calculator below for the real number.
Second-Lieutenant / Ensign €40,257 – €44,204
| Point | Basic / year | Incl. allowance | Take-home / year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Point 1 | €40,257 | €46,823 | |
| Point 2 (max) | €44,204 | €50,770 |
Military Service Allowance of €6,566 a year is paid on top of basic at this rank — the “incl. allowance” column. It is taxable, so the take-home column, which is on basic alone, understates what you actually receive; put the inclusive figure into the calculator below for the real number.
Lieutenant / Sub Lieutenant €45,699 – €57,419
| Point | Basic / year | Incl. allowance | Take-home / year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Point 1 | €45,699 | €52,265 | |
| Point 2 | €46,383 | €52,949 | |
| Point 3 | €47,819 | €54,385 | |
| Point 4 | €49,283 | €55,849 | |
| Point 5 | €50,893 | €57,459 | |
| Point 6 | €52,381 | €58,947 | |
| Point 7 | €53,904 | €60,470 | |
| Point 8 | €54,780 | €61,346 | |
| Point 9 | €56,086 | €62,652 | |
| Point 10 (max) | €57,419 | €63,985 |
Military Service Allowance of €6,566 a year is paid on top of basic at this rank — the “incl. allowance” column. It is taxable, so the take-home column, which is on basic alone, understates what you actually receive; put the inclusive figure into the calculator below for the real number.
Captain / Lieutenant (NS) €58,764 – €74,255
| Point | Basic / year | Incl. allowance | Take-home / year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Point 1 | €58,764 | €65,330 | |
| Point 2 | €60,158 | €66,724 | |
| Point 3 | €61,549 | €68,115 | |
| Point 4 | €62,969 | €69,535 | |
| Point 5 | €64,377 | €70,943 | |
| Point 6 | €65,771 | €72,337 | |
| Point 7 | €68,823 | €75,389 | |
| Point 8 | €71,473 | €78,039 | |
| Point 9 (max) | €74,255 | €80,821 |
Military Service Allowance of €6,566 a year is paid on top of basic at this rank — the “incl. allowance” column. It is taxable, so the take-home column, which is on basic alone, understates what you actually receive; put the inclusive figure into the calculator below for the real number.
Commandant / Lieutenant Commander €74,326 – €91,608
| Point | Basic / year | Incl. allowance | Take-home / year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Point 1 | €74,326 | €81,295 | |
| Point 2 | €75,879 | €82,848 | |
| Point 3 | €77,418 | €84,387 | |
| Point 4 | €78,969 | €85,938 | |
| Point 5 | €80,512 | €87,481 | |
| Point 6 | €84,707 | €91,676 | |
| Point 7 | €88,089 | €95,058 | |
| Point 8 (max) | €91,608 | €98,577 |
Military Service Allowance of €6,969 a year is paid on top of basic at this rank — the “incl. allowance” column. It is taxable, so the take-home column, which is on basic alone, understates what you actually receive; put the inclusive figure into the calculator below for the real number.
Lieutenant-Colonel / Commander €90,319 – €100,909
| Point | Basic / year | Incl. allowance | Take-home / year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Point 1 | €90,319 | €97,165 | |
| Point 2 | €92,712 | €99,558 | |
| Point 3 | €95,406 | €102,252 | |
| Point 4 | €97,968 | €104,814 | |
| Point 5 | €99,443 | €106,289 | |
| Point 6 (max) | €100,909 | €107,755 |
Military Service Allowance of €6,846 a year is paid on top of basic at this rank — the “incl. allowance” column. It is taxable, so the take-home column, which is on basic alone, understates what you actually receive; put the inclusive figure into the calculator below for the real number.
Colonel / Captain (NS) €104,118 – €126,625
| Point | Basic / year | Incl. allowance | Take-home / year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Point 1 | €104,118 | €110,964 | |
| Point 2 | €110,374 | €117,220 | |
| Point 3 | €116,641 | €123,487 | |
| Point 4 (max) | €126,625 | €133,471 |
Military Service Allowance of €6,846 a year is paid on top of basic at this rank — the “incl. allowance” column. It is taxable, so the take-home column, which is on basic alone, understates what you actually receive; put the inclusive figure into the calculator below for the real number.
Brigadier-General / Commodore €168,954
| Point | Basic / year | Take-home / year |
|---|---|---|
| Point 1 (max) | €168,954 |
Department of Defence, 'Rates of Pay and Allowances for Officers of the Permanent Defence Force — Officers of General Rank', Class A, effective 1 June 2026. Flat rate: general ranks have a single point and the document shows no Military Service Allowance for them.
Major-General / Rear Admiral €185,849
| Point | Basic / year | Take-home / year |
|---|---|---|
| Point 1 (max) | €185,849 |
Department of Defence, 'Rates of Pay and Allowances for Officers of the Permanent Defence Force — Officers of General Rank', Class A, effective 1 June 2026. Flat rate: general ranks have a single point and the document shows no Military Service Allowance for them.
Lieutenant-General / Vice Admiral (Chief of Staff) €252,489
| Point | Basic / year | Take-home / year |
|---|---|---|
| Point 1 (max) | €252,489 |
Department of Defence, 'Rates of Pay and Allowances for Officers of the Permanent Defence Force — Officers of General Rank', Class A, effective 1 June 2026. Flat rate: general ranks have a single point and the document shows no Military Service Allowance for them.
Military Judge €165,020
| Point | Basic / year | Incl. allowance | Take-home / year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Point 1 (max) | €165,020 | €172,110 |
Department of Defence, 'Rates of Pay for Military Judges of the Permanent Defence Force', Class A, effective 1 June 2026 — basic €165,020 plus Military Service Allowance €7,090, total pay €172,110. A single flat rate. This is the Defence Forces' military judiciary, not the civil courts.
Military Service Allowance of €7,090 a year is paid on top of basic at this rank — the “incl. allowance” column. It is taxable, so the take-home column, which is on basic alone, understates what you actually receive; put the inclusive figure into the calculator below for the real number.
Basic pay only. Every rank also receives Military Service Allowance (MSA), a permanent allowance paid on top — €168.65–€179.54 a week for enlisted ranks and €6,566–€6,969 a year for officers — so total pay is materially higher than the basic figures here. Enlisted rates are published by the Department as WEEKLY amounts; annual figures shown are that weekly rate × 52. Officer rates are published annually. Officer figures are Pay Rate 1 (Class A), the main commissioned track, plus the three general ranks (also Class A, flat rates with no Military Service Allowance shown). Not included: the Class C scales for officers appointed before 6 April 1995 — a closed legacy cohort, and this site shows Class A/PPC scales throughout — the Army Nursing Service, and specialist Rate 2/3 officers (Engineer, Legal, Medical, Dental, Pharmacy, School of Music), all of which have their own separate scales.
Note: Commandant/Lt Cdr point 2 is shown as €75,879, derived from the circular's own Total Pay column (€82,848 − €6,969 MSA). The Basic Salary column prints €78,879, which cannot be right — it exceeds point 3 and breaks the scale's monotonic order, and every other point in the table reconciles exactly to Total − MSA.
Work out take-home for any point on the scale
Prefilled to the midpoint
Optional adjustmentsPension, bonus, auto-enrolment
At age 35, Revenue relief is limited to 20% of earnings, with earnings capped at €115,000.
Your take-home
€85,180
€7,098.34 a month
2026 Class A estimate assuming uniform weekly pay: 4.2% through September and 4.35% from October, blended over the year. Actual PRSI is calculated per pay period and can differ with bonuses, unpaid weeks or a 53-week payroll year. Figures are not stored; calculator events use only a broad salary band.
About these figures
Basic pay only. Every rank also receives Military Service Allowance (MSA), a permanent allowance paid on top — €168.65–€179.54 a week for enlisted ranks and €6,566–€6,969 a year for officers — so total pay is materially higher than the basic figures here. Enlisted rates are published by the Department as WEEKLY amounts; annual figures shown are that weekly rate × 52. Officer rates are published annually. Officer figures are Pay Rate 1 (Class A), the main commissioned track, plus the three general ranks (also Class A, flat rates with no Military Service Allowance shown). Not included: the Class C scales for officers appointed before 6 April 1995 — a closed legacy cohort, and this site shows Class A/PPC scales throughout — the Army Nursing Service, and specialist Rate 2/3 officers (Engineer, Legal, Medical, Dental, Pharmacy, School of Music), all of which have their own separate scales. Take-home is worked out for a single PAYE worker; a pension contribution or different tax credits will change the net figure. Use the calculator above to model your own situation.
Public-sector scales rise by yearly increments, so where you sit depends on your service. Allowances and long-service increments can lift pay above the published maximum.