Payroll-FAQs and Latest News

Get Paid - Payroll Setup via the Core Thrive Hub

New Employees\Re-joiners* 

Your Personal and Pay Information 

Please visit the Thrive Hub dashboard on the Core Portal and complete all tasks in your personalised checklist to finalise your employee record and process your salary.  This information is required for banking and Revenue purposes.  Any incorrect details could cause a delay in your pay.

How It Works: Your Personal Checklist

When you visit the Thrive Hub, the first thing you'll see is your personal checklist. This is your action plan.

Here’s how to use it:

• Click "Start" to begin any outstanding task.
• Follow the prompts—the system will guide you through each step.
• Click "Complete" to finish. Your task will then be saved in your "Completed" tab for your records.

Note: All tasks must be completed BEFORE the Payroll cut off (Click on link for info on Payroll Cut Off Dates) in order to ensure payment.

Click Here to Visit the Thrive Hub

*Re-joiners: Once there is a break in service, regardless of the duration of break or even if there has been no change in personal details, re-joiners are also required to complete all tasks on Thrive Hub to be re-joined to Payroll. 

Please click on link for detailed information on pay dates for each pay group.

All payments are processed in Euro currency and transferred electronically via SEPA (Single Euro Payments Area) directly into recipient's bank accounts. 

SEPA transfers offer a secure and reliable method of payment.  Click on Information guide to SEPA (revenue.ie) for a list of countries in SEPA zone.

Once you have been paid you can access your payslip online by logging on to Core portal by clicking this link .  Upon log on, click Employee dashboard and payment tab to view payslips, current tax details, edit your bank details and view any other relevant payroll documents.  You will need your staff DCU network username and password to log on to Core portal, this is available from the DCU Digital Technology Solutions team. Click on link for contact details. For more information on Core Portal & understanding your payslip click here.

All queries should be directed by email to the Payroll team to our central email address payroll@dcu.ie where we adhere to answer all queries as quickly as possible.   Please ensure your confirm your Staff Number or PPSN on any correspondence to save further delays in replying and if you need to speak directly to one of the Payroll team, click on link for Payroll Contact details.

The Payroll Office is located within the Finance Department, on the 1^st Floor of the Albert College Building, click on link for more information.

There are 3 options listed below for forms to be either processed\completed

1-Email the original form to payroll@dcu.ie, confirming staff number and contact details and the payroll team will revert as quickly as possible to make arrangements to collect the completed form

2-Leave the Payroll Documents (DCU Forms, Salary Certs, DSP forms) in the Finance Office drop off box  which is located in the Albert College Building reception area (via entrance to the 1838 Restaurant).  This drop off box is checked twice daily by Payroll staff.   If you are leaving a form for completion, please ensure you attach a note with your contact details and Payroll will revert as quickly as possible to make arrangements to collect the completed form.

3-Send it via internal post to Payroll Office, DCU Glasnevin Campus.  Please note this option may delay the turnaround time of processing the form depending on when the form is received.

You must update the details yourself on the on-line Coreportal which will update directly on Core.  See step-by-step guide of how to update your bank details.  NOTE any changes submitted after payroll cut off (click on link for more information) will not be updated until the next available pay run.

Upon joining DCU, you are automatically included as a member of the DCU Pension (Superannuation) Scheme as outlined in your contract of employment and this means your salary is subject to 2 deductions which are Pension and Additional Superannuation Contribution.  For more information on the DCU Pension Schemes, please click on link (DCU username and password required)

Please click on link and select 2nd option on dropdown menu-ASC-Additional Superannuation Contribution for more information

Additional Superannuation Contribtuion is calculated on your pensionable public sector income only from 01^st January in the current year.   If you have not worked in the Public Sector prior to DCU, your salary will only be subject to ASC when your income has exceeded the Year to Date thresholds.   If you have worked in the public sector in a pensionable capacity prior to joining DCU, you should submit your ASC45 to the Payroll office (payroll@dcu.ie) and the Payroll team will reconcile your deductions in the next available payrun.  NOTE there are different rates for ASC dependent on what pension scheme category you fall into.

2023 Rates and Thresholds

If you are leaving DCU, not intending to return to work in the public sector in the near future and have less than 2 years service in the DCU Pension Scheme and you wish to opt for a refund of your contributions, you must apply in writing to the DCU Pensions Section within HR. Email your directive for refund directly to is pensions@dcu.ie or elaine.mcguirk@dcu.ie  When you do this, pensions will review your application and pass to payroll for processing if all the criteria is met, payroll will process the payment in the next available payment run.   Please note that the Pension value of the refund is subject to 20% Superannuation Tax and any ASC Refund is subject to the employee's standard rate of tax at point of payment.

The 3 deductions are all part of the one scheme, therefore if you decide to remain in the scheme, the 3 deductions will apply.   Please click on link below for full details of cover (DCU Username and Password required)

Current Income Continuance Plan Info at October 2019

Yes, you can opt out by completing the "Opt Out Form" that was issued with in your contract pack from HR and returning this form to HR Reception desk who will notify payroll.   If you opt out within 90 days from the start date of deductions from your salary, the deductions will be refunded in the next salary payment .   If you opt out after the 90 day period, deductions will cease in the next salary payment run and no refund will be processed.

No, once you opt out you will not be added back in to the scheme upon contract renewal or re-joining DCU.  You can only rejoin the scheme upon completing a detailed application form and medical examination (For further information, please contact HR directly).

PAYE stands for ‘Pay As You Earn’. If you are an employee, you normally pay tax through the PAYE system.

Every time your salary is paid, your employer deducts the following statutory deductions when applicable, Income Tax (IT), Pay Related Social Insurance (PRSI) and Universal Social Charge (USC) and pays the amount deducted to Revenue at the end of the month you have been paid in. PAYE ensures that the yearly amounts you have to pay are collected evenly on each pay day over the course of the tax year.

Your employer deducts Tax based on the tax credits and standard rate cut off point communicated by Revenue upon registration of employment.

You may be entitled to additional tax credits and to tax reliefs and exemptions to reduce the amount of tax you pay.

If you are a PAYE customer, please see how to review your tax for any of the four previous tax years.  

USC stands for 'Universal Social Charge'

USC is a tax payable on your total income. Total income for USC purposes includes things such as:

• employment income
• taxable employer benefits
• self-employed income
• rental income
• share option gains
• dividend income.

You do not pay USC on:

• payments from the Department of Social Protection (DSP).
• deposit interest that was subjected to Deposit Interest Retention Tax.

Your employer deducts USC based on the USC threshold rates communicated by Revenue upon registration of employment.

There is no relief from USC for employee pension contributions.

If your total income exceeds €13,000 you pay USC on your full income.

Click here for steps to follow if this is your first employment in Ireland

See Details for DCU, DCU Commercial DAC and DCU Educational Trust listed below

• DCU Staff registered number: 4102060U
• DCU Retiree's registered number: 3448846NH 
• Campus Companies registered number: 6542389J under holding Company of DCU Educational Support Services DAC.
• DCU Educational Trust: 4770886G

Once you submit your PPSN to the DCU payroll team when completing bank details etc, they can request a Revenue Payment Notification (RPN) from Revenue in order to avoid Emergency tax being applied, this will be done electronically between DCU payroll and Revenue and a copy of the RPN should be sent to the employees online Revenue account.  DCU payroll can only apply what Revenue send through, if you are employed elsewhere at the time DCU request an RPN it may result in a nil cert being issued due to overlapping appointments and in this case we would advise you contact your local Revenue office to resolve the matter.

Every employee is entitled to Tax Credits and SRCOP (Standard Rate Cut off Point), which are issued by Revenue on the basis of their own personal circumstances.   If you are employed by more than one employer, you can arrange to have your Tax Credits & SRCOP split between your employments in a manner that will make best use of your entitlements. You can manage this via MyAccount, by registering each employer on the  jobs and pensions page (Under PAYE Services),  outlining your expected earnings from each employment. You should also be in a position to quote the Employers Registered Number (See DCU EMPLOYER REGISTRATION NUMBERS) of each place of employment.    Revenue will split your entitlements between your places of employment, notify your employers of same via electronic communication you can logon directly via myAccount to see split.

You will be issued with an ASC45 (where applicable).   P45's were abolished wef 01st January 2019 in line with PAYE Modernisation, your left date is communicated electronically via a submission report from the employer to Revenue following your final payment.

An ASC45 is only issued to employees liable for Additional Superannuation Contribution and is issued to the employee on cessation of employment detailing Gross ASCable Pay and ASC deducted from start of year (01st January) to date of leaving. 

Once you receive your final payment from DCU, you can complete a Form P50 - First Claim for Repayment During Unemployment and submit this to your local Tax Office or if you are registered online with Revenue via myAccount you can apply online by logging on via this link. Revenue will refund you directly any Tax or Universal Social Charge Refund that may be due for the tax year you are making the claim for.   Please note Revenue have outlined that this process can take from 4/6 weeks to complete.

It is not possible to include staff that join or re-join the University after the Payroll Cut Off within that month’s pay run due to volume of payroll input and strict bank deadlines.  Payment will be made the following month assuming all the appropriate paper work is in place i.e. employee contact signed and returned to HR and EDPF (online) form has been submitted

Yes, a full time\fixed hours employee can access Coreportal for up to 6 weeks from their left date, a Part time Casual employee can access Coreportal for up to 12 weeks from their left date.  If the enquiry falls outside this period you must email payroll@dcu.ie, quoting your staff number and the payslips that you require and the Payroll team will send on copies as soon as its possible to do so.

From 2019 tax year onwards,  your employer is no longer required to provide you with a P60 since the introduction of PAYE Modernisation. This information is now available in the Employment Detail Summary section in myAccount.  If you do you have an online Revenue account you may request on through your local Revenue office via this link, however Revenue have outlined it can take up to 6 weeks for them to process this request.

Staff working from home on a full or part-time basis can qualify for tax relief as long as it is supported by receipts.

Work related expenses eligible for tax relief include heating, electricity and broadband expenses.

The allowance or rebate claimed must be reasonable, allowing for the fact that the utilities are for both personal and work and benefit everyone else in the home, so the refund received will be based on only a portion of the overall expenses.

Any claims made will need to be supported with evidence in the form of receipts and possibly a *letter from your employer upon request from Revenue.

*HR will provide this letter as needed but it is not required to submit a claim.

More information is available on the Revenue website

Method of claiming e-Working expenses

e-Working expenses can be claimed by completing an Income Tax return at year end for the tax year the claim is valid in.

Click on this link for more information on how to calculate the relief you may be due (Ref paragraph How to calculate eWorking costs)

An individual can complete this form on the Revenue website as follows:

• Sign into myAccount 
• Click on ‘Review your tax’ link under PAYE Services
• Select the "Statement of Liability" return for the relevant tax year
• You may see a Preliminary Income Tax result (depending on your tax status) however in order to claim the relief you need to click on the option "Complete your Income Tax Return" (Blue Box)
• Complete the online form as instructed until you come to Section 4, Tax Credits and Relief
• Select Other PAYE Expenses, under description of expenses claimed enter e-worker Tax Relief, under Amount claimed enter the amount of relief you are claiming for the tax year.  
• *NOTE As a claim may be selected for future examination, all documentation relating to a claim should be retained for a period of six years from the end of the tax year to which the claim relates.

Auto-Enrolment (AE), known as myfuturefund.ie  commenced on 1 January 2026.  The National Auto-Enrolment Retirement Savings Authority (NAERSA) is responsible for the operation of MyFutureFund, in terms of determining eligibility, collecting contributions, operating an online portal, investing funds, etc.  Employees will be auto-enrolled in respect of any non-exempt employment (i.e. an employment where there is no pension contributions reported through payroll) if they are aged 23 – 59 inclusive, and earn more than €20,000 per year (€5,000 over a rolling 13 week period) from all employments.  Only income insurable under PRSI Classes A, B, C, D, H and J will be assessed.  Employees aged 18 - 65 inclusive can opt in to AE for any non-exempt employment where they are not auto-enrolled.  A dedicated Government website for Auto-Enrolment provides further information.

How MyFutureFund works,

• You now have a MyFutureFund account. It's like a savings account. You, your employer and the State pay money into it.  This money belongs to you.  It's invested for your future and remains in your account until you reach State Pension Age, when it can be drawn down.
• You pay a percentage of your gross earnings in each pay period.  This is deducted from your net pay automatically.  Your employer matches your contribution in each pay period on top of your normal earnings, and the State will contribute one-third of your contribution in each pay period.

Your contributions will be invested in the default strategy. (See member guide on www.myfuturefund.ie website for more information).

All contributions to MyFutureFund will stop once you reach State Pension Age, currently 66.  You will be able to drawdown your savings from MyFutureFund on 66.

You can opt out of MyFutureFund during the opt-out period, in months seven and eight, after you have been saving for six months.  If you opt out, your contributions will stop and so will contributions from your employer(s) and the State, and as a result, your retirement savings will be lower.  You may want to take financial advice to help you make this decision as it's important to understand what you may miss out on.  If you start to contribute to another qualifying retirement savings scheme through payroll, this employment will become exempt and your contributions to MyFutureFund in this employment will stop.

You can access your account by logging into MyFutureFund participant portal  To learn more about MyFutureFund along with some important timelines, you can refer to the New Member guide on www.myfuturefund.ie.  If you have any queries, you can contact NAERSA through the online employee portal on myfuturefund.ie or by phone on + 353 1 568 9555.