Workplace Relations Commission Annual Report 2024

On 24 April 2025, the Workplace Relations Commission (“WRC”) published its Annual Report for 2024.The Report provides a wide-ranging insight into the current state of workplace regulation and industrial relations in Ireland. As the primary statutory body responsible for promoting good workplace relations and ensuring compliance with employment law, the WRC’s role has never been more crucial. The 2024 report reflects not only an increase in demand for WRC services, but also significant progress in service outreach and delivery, legal development, and strategic reform.

Increasing operational capacity and reach

One of the key issues emerging from the 2024 report is the considerable growth in engagement with the WRC’s services. The report indicates that over 59,000 individuals contacted the Information and Customer Service Unit, which dealt with a wide array of employment-related queries. This service, bolstered by continued improvements to the WRC website, which achieved over 4.3 million page views, reflects the growing need for accessible and reliable employment rights information.

Additionally, the digital engagement was complimented by 62 outreach events conducted across Ireland, with particular efforts being made to engage secondary schools, migrant communities (notably the Brazilian workforce), and local enterprise offices. The report identifies this public-facing approach as key to improving awareness of employment legislation and WRC services, particularly in marginalised or hard-to-reach sectors.

Inspection and enforcement: compliance on the front line

The Inspection and Enforcement Division continued to function as a core enforcement mechanism. In 2024, 5,156 inspections were closed, with 2,108 of those having found infringements of employment law to have taken place. As a result, €2.16 million in unpaid wages was recovered, which is an increase on the 2023 figures. The report notes that, while the division had staffing shortages (22% vacancy rate in the inspectorate), productivity remained high, with performance exceeding targets by 15%.

Particularly noteworthy is the WRC’s participation in international labour law enforcement initiatives, such as the EMPACT campaigns and joint inspections with the Belgian labour authorities. These collaborations reflect a broader European trend toward integrated enforcement of labour mobility and anti-trafficking laws, with a focus on fishing and agriculture.

Joint inspections with Revenue, Social Protection, and An Garda Síochána also increased significantly, and prosecutions were up 27% on the previous year. The WRC demonstrated an increased use of civil enforcement mechanisms under Section 43 of the Workplace Relations Act 2015, further solidifying its ability to compel compliance.

Adjudication and mediation

Adjudication remains one of the WRC’s most visible and high-impact services. In 2024, a total of 7,316 complaint applications were received, representing nearly 15,000 individual complaints. Hearings were offered in over 9,000 cases, a 6% increase on 2023, underscoring the growing demand for resolution of employment disputes.

The Adjudication Division also issued 2,712 decisions in 2024, and while this marked a modest decline from the previous year, the report attributes the drop to the increasing complexity of cases, especially in the wake of the Supreme Court’s Zalewski decision. This judgment reinforced constitutional procedural safeguards for adjudication and prompted procedural change to ensure greater transparency and fairness.

Pre-adjudication mediation services showed significant growth, with 894 mediations delivered, an increase of 14% on 2023. The overall resolution rate rose to 59%, reflecting mediation’s growing use as a cost-efficient means of resolving disputes.

The late stage mediation pilot project was paused due to staffing constraints. However, its initial consequences showed promising results. Notably, over 950 complaints were diverted from the adjudication process through successful mediation or subsequent withdrawal, demonstrating the efficacy of early dispute resolution.

Conciliation and advisory services

The WRC’s Conciliation, Advisory and Mediation Services (CAMS) Division played a central role in 2024, particularly in public sector industrial relations. The successful negotiation of the Public Service Agreement 2024–2026, following two months of intensive discussions, stands out as a major achievement. The agreement, covering over 400,000 public servants, was ratified in April 2024 and supports both pay progression and reform initiatives.

Conciliation referrals remained steady, with 621 referrals received across a diverse range of sectors. The division maintained a success rate of over 85%, reinforcing its importance in the resolution of complex disputes. Facilitated discussions led to new Employment Regulation Orders (EROs) for sectors such as contract cleaning, childcare, and security, affecting up to 80,000 workers. The orders helped establish wage stability and working conditions in these sectors.

In addition, the WRC’s advisory arm continued its work with employers and trade unions to promote best practices in workplace procedures. Although the number of advisory audits was reduced due to staff turnover, several reviews were completed, and the WRC continued to develop codes of practice, including the high-profile Code on Remote and Flexible Working.

Legislative and legal developments

In 2024, the WRC’s Legal Division was involved in 13 High Court civil cases and succeeded in defending two of the three judicial review proceedings brought directly against it. Importantly, the WRC reports a significant decrease in the number of legal challenges overall. This is likely due to the strengthened procedural integrity and improved clarity in decisions.

The updated Remedies Table and Hearing Arrangements Policy was also published, offering useful tools for practitioners and parties engaging with the WRC system. The updated policy offers enhanced predictability for practitioners and those engaging in the adjudication process. These developments are aligned with the Commission’s efforts to increase accessibility and transparency.

Looking forward

2024 marked the first full year under the leadership of Director General Audrey Cahill. One of the year’s strategic highlights is the initiation of a major review ahead of the WRC’s tenth anniversary in 2025. The Commission has been granted a six-month extension to finalise its next Statement of Strategy and is using this time for engagement with staff and stakeholders.

This organisational renewal is being supported by a Capability, Capacity and Efficiency Review, intended to future-proof the agency. Resulting from this review is the proposed creation of a new Knowledge, Information and Advisory (KIA) Division. The division will aim to centralise dispute prevention and workplace education services.

Conclusion

The 2024 WRC Annual Report paints a picture of an organisation both mature in its capabilities and dynamic in its outlook. For legal professionals, the implications are manifold: from enhanced procedural transparency and expanded mediation opportunities, to increased enforcement and international collaboration in labour rights.

For employers and employees alike, the WRC continues to be a cornerstone of workplace fairness in Ireland. As the WRC prepares to mark a decade of existence, it is clear that its strategic direction will be guided by a focus on innovation, legal certainty, and stakeholder engagement, values that legal practitioners will watch closely in the years ahead.