These rates, terms and conditions are accurate as of 16 November 2023.

RATES

Please note that these rates and conditions are for assignments where contact has been made directly with the interpreter. Rates and conditions may differ for assignments where booking has been made through an interpreting agency.

Please note that from 1 Aug 2023, the following rates will apply, to both in-person and remote (Zoom, etc.) interpreting assignments.

• Generic, Short Assignment (under 3 hours) €160 + VAT
• Generic, Long Assignment (3-7 hours) €320 + VAT
• Higher Skills* Short Assignment (under 3 hours) €190 + VAT
• Higher Skills* Long Assignment (3-7 hours) €380 + VAT
• Wedding Day Rate (does not include social interpreting between ceremony and speeches) €250 + VAT

* “Higher Skills” covers assignments considered by the interpreter to lie within medical, legal, performance, conference or mental health interpreting categories.

• Value Added Tax (VAT) will be applied to all fees and charges for Irish clients.
• Tax Clearance Certificates are available on request.
• Travel expenses are charged where assignments take place outside of the North County Dublin / Meath / Louth area; for assignments in south Dublin, mileage being charged. Mileage will be charged at a rate of 41.8 cents per km.
• For assignments located at a distance requiring more than 1.5 hours travel from the interpreter’s home, a Long Assignment rate may be charged in addition to travel expenses such as mileage.
• For assignments taking place at weekends, at unsociable hours or during bank holidays, an extra charge may be applied.
• Accommodation expenses may be incurred where assignments are accepted outside of the Dublin / Meath / Louth area, and require an overnight stay.
• Preparation time may be charged for assignments such as highly technical conferences, or performances where significant amounts of time is given to rehearsal or preparation, or attendance at preparatory events.
• Assignments that run over the time originally booked for may be charged additionally for each hour or part-hour, at a rate based on one-third of the appropriate Short Assignment rate. E.g.:

Conference: originally booked 9.00am – 5.00pm, overruns until 5.45pm

9.00am – 5.00pm (with adequate breaks + 1 hour for lunch): High Skills Long Assignment rate

5.00pm – 5.45pm (over and above booked hours): additional ⅓ of High Skills Short Assignment rate

Meeting: originally booked 10.00am – 1.00pm, overruns until 1.35pm

10.00am – 1.00pm (with adequate breaks): Generic Short Assignment rate

10.00pm – 1.35pm (over and above booked hours): additional ⅓ of Generic Short Assignment rate

• Long Assignment duration of 7 hours does not include an hour for lunch break. A 9am – 5pm day will be charged at a Long Assignment rate, provided there is an hour lunch break. Shorter lunch breaks may entail additional charges, e.g.:

9.00am – 5.00pm (with adequate breaks + 1 hr lunch): 7 hours + 1 hr lunch = Long Assignment rate

9.00am – 5.00pm (with adequate breaks + 30 mins lunch): 7.5 hours + 1 hr lunch = Long Assignment rate + one-third of Short Assignment rate

• Assignments longer than 7 hours in one day will be charged additionally per hour or part-hour, at a rate based on one-third of the appropriate Short Assignment rate. E.g.:

Conference, beginning 9.00am, ending 6.00pm

9.00am – 5.00pm (with adequate breaks + 1 hr lunch): High Skills Long Assignment rate +

5.00pm – 6.00pm (over 7 hours):                       ⅓ of High Skills Short Assignment rate

• Assignments of up to 4 hours duration, where an hour break is supplied in between, will be charged at Short Assignment rate, e.g.

9.00am to 1.00pm, break between 11am-12pm with no interpreting: Short Assignment rate.

9.00am to 1.00pm, break(s) of less than 1 hour: Long Assignment rate.

All other assignments between 3 and 7 hours in duration will be charged at Long  Assignment rate.

• Requests to arrive before the beginning of the event, or to stay on after an assignment e.g. to informally interpret during lunch, dinner or other social event, mean that these additional periods will be included in the overall quote, e. g.:

Event starts 9.00am, ends 12.00pm: Short Assignment rate.

Event starts 9.00am, ends 12.00pm, interpreter requested to arrive 8.30am: Long Assignment rate.

Cancellation Policy

Bookings are considered to be made when a communication is received from the paying client (generally following their receipt of a quote and terms and conditions) confirming the services of the interpreter on a particular date and time.

If the services of the interpreter are cancelled, or the event is rescheduled, at short notice, cancellation fees may apply as follows:

• Assignments cancelled less than five working days before the previously agreed date and time will be liable for 100% cancellation fee (less travel expenses, if not already incurred).
• Assignments cancelled between five and ten working days before the previously agreed date and time will be liable for 50% cancellation fee (less travel expenses, if not already incurred).
• The interpreter may waive or reduce cancellation fees due at their discretion.
• Please note: if the interpreter has been booked for an assignment, and the assignment is subsequently postponed, or for which the time or the date is otherwise changed, and the interpreter is unavailable for the new time or date, this will be considered a cancellation of the interpreter’s services, and will be subject to the cancellation fees listed above.

Reduced Rates

• The interpreter has discretion to provide services on a pro bono basis, but in general will not supply services on a pro bono or voluntary basis. Please click here for the rationale behind this.
• A reduced local rate may be available for jobs in the Bettystown / Laytown / Drogheda area, which are 45-50 minutes in duration or shorter, and do not take place at weekends or after 6pm Monday to Friday, at the discretion of the interpreter.
• For community-based non-profit organisations, a rate of €100 + VAT may be applied for Short Assignment generic assignments, at the discretion of the interpreter.
• For Deaf individuals, an hourly rate may be applied for short assignments (based on a rate one-third of a Generic Short Assignment rate) at the discretion of the interpreter, where legislation does not cover the issue of funding for an interpreting assignment.

TERMS AND CONDITIONS

1. An interpretation (remote or face-to-face) is a best human effort product. It in no way promises to be verbatim or perfect, and does not equate to an edited translation.
2. Due to reasons of health and safety as well as the need to maintain quality of service, complex and Long Assignments (and certain Short Assignments) will require a co-interpreter. The interpreter can assist in sourcing a colleague for the assignment, who should be appropriately qualified and skilled. Deaf interpreters may be recommended to work alongside the interpreter in certain circumstances. The second interpreter’s own rates, terms and conditions etc. may differ from those above and will be invoiced for separately.
3. Due to health and safety reasons, an interpreter when working alone is required to have a break of at least 5 minutes every 45-50 minutes. Service may be discontinued if such breaks are not supplied.
4. The exact nature of the event to be interpreted must be disclosed to the interpreter at time of booking. Any changes to the event must be signalled to the interpreter well in advance.
5. It is highly important that preparation material – Power Point presentations, written notes, links to relevant websites, YouTube links to be used, etc. – be forwarded to the interpreter at the earliest opportunity. A failure to supply this may result in difficulties for the interpreter and a non-optimum interpretation. Failure to provide preparation material for certain complex assignments may result in withdrawal of service.
6. Remote interpreting presents many technical variables which can affect the ability to interpret. These variables are beyond the control of the parties involved, such as, but not limited to internet connection speeds or connectivity, power interruptions, lack of proper microphones, hardware and software issues. Best practices will be followed by the interpreter, who will meet requirements of the platform providers. However, the interpreter does not guarantee that he will be able to hear / see proceedings, or that listeners will be able to hear / see the interpretation, for reasons other than those beyond our reasonable control. When an interpreter cannot hear / see, they will advise they cannot interpret by drawing attention to this, and will make a best human effort to interpret as accurately as possible that which they can hear / see.
7. The interpreter will accept only assignments where meaningful access for Deaf people is provided. I do not accept assignments where Deaf people are either not present or unable to access the interpretation fully, or where only minimal efforts have been made to ensure their participation in an event.
8. Booking is recommended at least two weeks in advance. No guarantees of availability are made for particular assignments until officially booked.
9. On the day of assignment, the interpreter reserves the right to judge the interpreting situation to be above his/her level of ability, or outside the domain of his/her skills and experience. In this case he/she will inform those present immediately and advise on possible solutions and further action.
10. Video or audio recording or live-streaming of the interpreting service will require the prior permission of the interpreter at all times.