Ireland · Accreditation
ISO/IEC 17025 accreditation in Ireland
Achieve ISO 17025 accreditation in Ireland with Sterling: 8,100+ client engagements in 60+ countries, 20+ years.
- Accreditation support
- London office team
- Effivity software included
- Academy training included
Who asks for ISO 17025 in Ireland
Clients include
ISO 17025 accreditation in Ireland at a glance
In Ireland, ISO/IEC 17025 is asked for by buyers and schemes rather than required by law. The drivers below show where the pressure comes from.
A laboratory in Ireland is not certified; it earns accreditation from INAB, the Irish National Accreditation Board. INAB offers testing laboratories accreditation to EN ISO/IEC 17025:2017 and assesses calibration laboratories against the same standard, describing a quality system that covers document control, complaints, audits and non-conforming work, together with procedures for methods and measurement traceability. INAB reports that it is a signatory to the EA multilateral agreement and the Global ACI arrangements for testing and calibration laboratories, which supports acceptance of Irish reports abroad. Medtech, pharmaceutical and food customers are among those who look for accredited results. Sterling's London office helps laboratories define scope, validate methods, document uncertainty and traceability, and prepare for assessment, with Effivity and Sterling Academy included in the engagement. Accreditation decisions rest with INAB.
Who needs ISO 17025 in Ireland, and what happens without it
In Ireland the question rarely comes from a law. It comes from the buyer, the regulator or the partner that wants proof before it signs. These are the organisations that get asked.
- Testing laboratories seeking accreditationINAB accredits testing laboratories to EN ISO/IEC 17025:2017.
- Calibration laboratoriesINAB accredits calibration laboratories to the same standard.
- Laboratories serving medtech, pharma and food customersCustomers and regulators look for results from accredited laboratories.
- In-house quality control laboratories of manufacturersAccreditation gives independent evidence of technical competence.
Not sure which of these applies to you?Answer a short set of questions and your readiness report arrives by e-mail.
Take the ISO/IEC 17025 readiness checkISO 17025 requirements in Ireland
Strip away the vocabulary and ISO/IEC 17025 requires a laboratory to prove six things about its competence and the results it reports.
In Ireland these six sit alongside the local laws and regulations listed under drivers below; one system can evidence both. The detail is on the global hub: ISO/IEC 17025 explained →
How to get ISO 17025 accreditation in Ireland
One team from the London office carries the work from scoping to accreditation. Clients in Ireland are served from Sterling's London office, on-site where the work needs it and remotely otherwise.
- Discovery call and scopeEntities, locations, regulators and target date, agreed before any proposal.
- Gap assessment against ISO/IEC 17025 and the Irish requirements that apply to youControls you already run for your regulators and customers are reused, not rebuilt.
- Your system built with your team in EffivityRisks, controls, evidence, incidents and reviews in one live system the auditor can see.
- Internal audit, management review and corrective actionsYour internal auditors trained by Sterling; the evidence proven before any external review.
- The accreditation body assessmentThe accreditation body assesses and decides. Sterling supports the assessment.
- End to end, from one team
- Effivity ISO & GRC software
- Preferential Sterling Academy access, with complimentary awareness training for your people
- Internal auditor training for your audit team, as applicable to your standard
- Vulnerability assessment on ISMS engagements
The Sterling Promise: 100% on-time completion, 100% success, 8,100+ client engagements.Sterling does not certify. Certification decisions stay with independent bodies.
How long does ISO 17025 accreditation take in Ireland?
There is no standard duration: it depends on your scope and on how much of the system already runs. In Ireland these are the factors that set the timeline.
- Definition of the scope of methods and measurements
- Measurement uncertainty, traceability and validation records
- Proficiency testing or inter-laboratory comparisons
- INAB assessment scheduling
Sterling agrees a dated plan with you on the discovery call, once the scope is known.
How much does ISO 17025 accreditation cost in Ireland?
The cost has two parts: the consulting work to build and prove the system, and the accreditation body’s fees, which are quoted separately. In Ireland these factors move both.
- Number of methods and technical areas in scope
- Equipment calibration and reference materials
- INAB application and assessment fees quoted by INAB, separately from consulting
- Staff competence and training needs
Sterling gives one customised, all-inclusive proposal after the discovery call, never before the scope is agreed.
ISO 17025 consultants and assessors in Ireland
Two different organisations are involved. A consultant helps you build the system and prove it works; the accreditation body then audits or assesses it and decides. Keeping the two separate is what makes the result credible to buyers and regulators.
- Check that the body’s accreditation or approval covers ISO 17025 and your sector, and that its certificates can be verified online.
- Ask the consultant how the local requirements in Ireland are mapped into the same system, so nothing runs twice.
- Ask for client references in your sector; Sterling’s client letters are available on request.
- Agree who owns the evidence and the tool after the engagement; with Sterling the system stays yours, in Effivity.
Laws and regulations that drive ISO 17025 in Ireland (2)
| Instrument | How it treats the standard |
|---|---|
| INAB laboratory testing accreditation | Scheme rule INAB offers testing laboratories accreditation to EN ISO/IEC 17025:2017, General requirements for the competence of testing and calibration laboratories. |
| INAB international recognition | Related INAB states it is a signatory to the EA MLA for testing and calibration laboratories and to the Global ACI arrangements, which supports acceptance of accredited reports abroad. |
Accreditation, audit language and remote audits in Ireland
ISO/IEC 17025 leads to accreditation, not certification. INAB, the Irish National Accreditation Board, assesses the laboratory against EN ISO/IEC 17025:2017 and grants accreditation for a defined scope; a laboratory based in Ireland normally applies to INAB, and recognition abroad rests on the mutual recognition arrangements. Edition and transition details: ISO/IEC 17025 hub →
Audit language
English is the working language of Irish business, so audits and controlled documents are normally in English; agree the language with the certification body at application and follow any requirement in a tender or contract.
Remote and on-site
INAB sets how assessments are conducted; technical assessment of methods and equipment is normally on-site.
ISO 17025 in Ireland: questions clients ask
Who accredits laboratories in Ireland?
INAB, the Irish National Accreditation Board, which offers testing laboratories accreditation to EN ISO/IEC 17025:2017 and has parallel services for calibration laboratories. It is the national body for accrediting laboratories, certification bodies and inspection bodies. Sterling prepares a laboratory's management system and technical records; INAB decides on accreditation.
Is ISO 17025 a certificate?
No. ISO/IEC 17025 leads to accreditation of a laboratory for a defined scope, granted by the national accreditation body after assessment. It is not a certification by a certification body. A laboratory should therefore describe itself as accredited to the standard for its scope, and no more, to avoid misleading customers.
Will an INAB accreditation be accepted outside Ireland?
Often, because of the mutual recognition arrangements. INAB says it is a signatory to the EA MLA for testing and calibration laboratories and to the Global ACI arrangements, which exist to support acceptance of reports and certificates across borders. The receiving customer or regulator still decides what it accepts, so ask it directly.
What does INAB say a laboratory must show under ISO 17025?
INAB describes a quality system covering document control, complaint handling, contract review, purchasing, audits and non-conforming work, plus procedures for training, methods, quality assurance, reporting and measurement traceability. The standard applies whatever the laboratory's size, so scope and evidence should match the work actually done.
More on ISO 17025 for Irish organisations
- ISO/IEC 17025: the complete guide
- Watch: How to implement ISO/IEC 17025
- Calibration laboratories: ISO/IEC 17025 for the sector
- Chemical and microbiological testing: ISO/IEC 17025 for the sector
- Construction materials testing: ISO/IEC 17025 for the sector
- Environmental laboratories: ISO/IEC 17025 for the sector
- Food and agriculture: ISO/IEC 17025 for the sector
- Government and forensic laboratories: ISO/IEC 17025 for the sector
- In-house manufacturing laboratories: ISO/IEC 17025 for the sector
- ISO 17025 accreditation in Ireland and every other standard Sterling delivers there
Other standards Irish businesses ask Sterling for
Organisations in Ireland often combine ISO/IEC 17025 with one of these, under one management system where the scopes allow.
Start with a free discovery call from the London office
A Sterling consultant goes through your entities, your regulators and your target date with you. No proposal until the scope is agreed.
Talk to a consultant
Plan your certification with the London team.
Tell us your goals, locations and target date. We’ll help you define the scope, timeline and next steps.
uk@sterling-grc.com+1 201 263 4443 (global headquarters) · your nearest office and its number are at the top of this page
What would you like to achieve?
Choose a starting point. The enquiry form takes about a minute.
Book my free discovery callContinue to the enquiry form to share your details. Please do not include passwords, sensitive personal information or confidential files. A Sterling consultant replies within one working day. Privacy notice