Display Screen Equipment (DSE) is the regulatory term used in Irish health and safety law to describe any alphanumeric or graphic display screen used at work — typically desktop monitors, laptops, tablets and other visual displays. It originated in EU Directive 90/270/EEC and was transposed into Irish law via the Safety, Health and Welfare at Work (General Application) Regulations 2007 (SI 299/2007). The term covers the screen itself and the associated workstation: chair, desk, keyboard, mouse and the immediate working environment. An employer in Ireland has specific duties for staff who use DSE for significant parts of their normal work, including workstation analysis, training, making appropriate eye and eyesight tests known and available, and organising work to allow breaks or changes of activity.
DSE is sometimes called VDU (Visual Display Unit) in Irish guidance; both terms are used for screen-based work covered by the Display Screen Equipment chapter of the General Application Regulations.
The Regulations exclude specified equipment, including portable display screen equipment that is not in prolonged use at a workstation. The HSA nevertheless advises that prolonged laptop use and temporary laptop workstation setups should be assessed so that risks can be identified and suitable equipment provided.
The employer's duties apply to employees who habitually use DSE as a significant part of normal work. HSA guidance uses three practical indicators: the employee has no choice but to use the workstation, normally uses it for continuous periods of more than one hour, or generally uses it daily.
Reviewed by our specialist ergonomics team. Last updated 11 June 2026.
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