Irish workers have longer hours and fewer days off than EU average

Think you're working too much? Turns out you're probably right.

Dublin-based EU agency Eurofound released a new study and it turns out that Ireland is way below the average number of holidays that the rest of our European cousins are getting. Using figures from the 28 countries currently in the EU from data collected across 2015 and 2016, it turns out that the average hours worked per week in the majority of European countries is 38 hours, whereas Ireland just pips that with 39 hours per week. It could be worse, as the UK tops this particular chart, on average clocking in over 42 hours per week. However, it kinda balances out in their favour, as those in the UK get an average of 25 holiday days per year, but in Ireland we receive the statutory minimum of 20 holidays per year. Including paid days off for public holidays, the EU average is 33.8 days per year, but Ireland comes in practically dead last, with only 28 days year. On the higher end, Croatia gets 41 holiday days per year, while workers Denmark get 39 and those in Germany get 37. Spread out across an entire year, the EU average working annual average is 1,719.5 hours, which sounds like a crazy amount, right? Well, Ireland is well above that average, with workers here coming in at 1,809.6 hours a year, the 8th highest in the EU. Up top is Estonia and Hungary, both with 1,856 hours a year, while those with the handiest year are those in France, with just ("just") 1,616.2 hours a year. That works out at 24 less working days a year than we get. Anyone else suddenly in the mood to learn French?