Protection of Young Persons (Employment) Act, 1977

Maximum hours of work for young persons over the age of sixteen years.

9.—(1) Subject to the provisions of this Act, an employer shall not permit an employee who is a young person over the age of sixteen years in his employment to work for him for more than—

(a) nine hours in any day, or such other number of hours as may be specified in an agreement applying to the young person;

(b) forty-five hours in any week, or such other number of hours as may be specified in an agreement applying to the young person;

(c) one hundred and seventy-two hours in any period of four consecutive weeks;

(d) two thousand hours in any year.

(2) The hours of work specified in paragraphs (a) and (b) of subsection (1) of this section may be varied by an agreement or by regulations made by the Minister: provided that, under any such agreement, or by such regulations the maximum number of hours to be worked by the young person shall not exceed one hundred and seventy-two hours in any period of four consecutive weeks and two thousand hours in any period of one year.

(3) An employer who contravenes subsection (1) of this section shall be guilty of an offence.

(4) The Minister may by order vary the hours of work specified in subsection (1) of this section.

(5) The Minister may by order revoke or amend an order under this section including an order under this subsection.