Guarantor Financial Information (Condensed Consolidating Statement of Cash Flows) (Details) (USD $) In Millions, unless otherwise specified	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2011	Dec. 31, 2010	Dec. 31, 2009
Net cash (used in) provided by continuing operating activities	$ 1,230.2	$ 756.4	$ 1,756.9
Net cash (used in) provided by discontinued operating activities	(43.4)	(61.0)	(22.3)
Capital expenditures	(242.9)	(179.5)	(204.1)
Acquisition of businesses, net of cash acquired	(1.9)	(14.0)	0
Proceeds from sale of property, plant and equipment	52.0	14.5	21.6
Proceeds from business dispositions, net of cash sold	355.9	0	0
Other	0	0	(0.6)
Net cash (used in) provided by continuing investing activities	163.1	(179.0)	(183.1)
Net cash (used in) provided by discontinued investing activities	44.4	0.4	0.4
Net proceeds (repayments) in debt	(54.0)	(428.8)	(1,010.5)
Debt issuance costs	(2.3)	(5.5)	(16.1)
Excess tax benefit from share based compensation	24.6	4.2	0.7
Settlement of cross currency swap	0	0	(26.9)
Net inter-company (payments) proceeds	0	0	0
Dividends paid to ordinary shareholders	(137.3)	(90.7)	(160.8)
Dividends paid to noncontrolling interests	(26.2)	(20.2)	(20.2)
Acquisition/divestiture of noncontrolling Interest	(1.3)	(8.0)	(1.5)
Proceeds shares issued under incentive plans	109.0	145.3	27.2
Repurchase of ordinary shares	(1,157.5)	0	0
Other, net	(1.4)	0	0
Net cash (used in) provided by continuing financing activities	(1,246.4)	(403.7)	(1,208.1)
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash and cash equivalents	(1.5)	24.5	(17.3)
Net (decrease) increase in cash and cash equivalents	146.4	137.6	326.5
Cash and cash equivalents - beginning of period	1,014.3	876.7	550.2
Cash and cash equivalents - end of period	1,160.7	1,014.3	876.7
IR Ireland [Member]
Net cash (used in) provided by continuing operating activities	(13.1)	(17.0)	(32.3)
Net cash (used in) provided by discontinued operating activities	0	0	0
Capital expenditures	0	0	(0.1)
Acquisition of businesses, net of cash acquired	0	0	0
Proceeds from sale of property, plant and equipment	0	0	0
Proceeds from business dispositions, net of cash sold	0	0	0
Other	0	0	0
Net cash (used in) provided by continuing investing activities	0	0	(0.1)
Net cash (used in) provided by discontinued investing activities	0	0	0
Net proceeds (repayments) in debt	0	0	0
Debt issuance costs	0	0	0
Excess tax benefit from share based compensation	0	0	0
Settlement of cross currency swap			0
Net inter-company (payments) proceeds	1,199.0	(37.9)	50.9
Dividends paid to ordinary shareholders	(137.3)	(90.6)	(44.0)
Dividends paid to noncontrolling interests	0	0	0
Acquisition/divestiture of noncontrolling Interest	0	0	0
Proceeds shares issued under incentive plans	109.0	145.3	26.1
Repurchase of ordinary shares	(1,157.5)	0	0
Other, net	(0.5)
Net cash (used in) provided by continuing financing activities	12.7	16.8	33.0
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash and cash equivalents	0	0	0
Net (decrease) increase in cash and cash equivalents	(0.4)	(0.2)	0.6
Cash and cash equivalents - beginning of period	0.4	0.6	0
Cash and cash equivalents - end of period	0	0.4	0.6
IR Limited [Member]
Net cash (used in) provided by continuing operating activities	(5.3)	(0.4)	(21.5)
Net cash (used in) provided by discontinued operating activities	0	0	0
Capital expenditures	0	0	0
Acquisition of businesses, net of cash acquired	0	0	0
Proceeds from sale of property, plant and equipment	0	0	0
Proceeds from business dispositions, net of cash sold	0	0	0
Other	0	0	0
Net cash (used in) provided by continuing investing activities	0	0	0
Net cash (used in) provided by discontinued investing activities	0	0	0
Net proceeds (repayments) in debt	0	0	0
Debt issuance costs	0	0	0
Excess tax benefit from share based compensation	0	0	0
Settlement of cross currency swap			0
Net inter-company (payments) proceeds	5.3	14.4	239.2
Dividends paid to ordinary shareholders	0	(14.0)	(218.8)
Dividends paid to noncontrolling interests	0	0	0
Acquisition/divestiture of noncontrolling Interest	0	0	0
Proceeds shares issued under incentive plans	0	0	1.1
Repurchase of ordinary shares	0	0	0
Other, net	0
Net cash (used in) provided by continuing financing activities	5.3	0.4	21.5
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash and cash equivalents	0	0	0
Net (decrease) increase in cash and cash equivalents	0	0	0
Cash and cash equivalents - beginning of period	0	0	0
Cash and cash equivalents - end of period	0	0	0
IR International [Member]
Net cash (used in) provided by continuing operating activities	(14.0)	(15.0)	(6.8)
Net cash (used in) provided by discontinued operating activities	0	0	0
Capital expenditures	0	0	0
Acquisition of businesses, net of cash acquired	0	0	0
Proceeds from sale of property, plant and equipment	0	0	0
Proceeds from business dispositions, net of cash sold	0	0	0
Other	0	0	0
Net cash (used in) provided by continuing investing activities	0	0	0
Net cash (used in) provided by discontinued investing activities	0	0	0
Net proceeds (repayments) in debt	0	0	0
Debt issuance costs	0	0	0
Excess tax benefit from share based compensation	0	0	0
Settlement of cross currency swap			0
Net inter-company (payments) proceeds	2.0	27.0	6.8
Dividends paid to ordinary shareholders	0	0	0
Dividends paid to noncontrolling interests	0	0	0
Acquisition/divestiture of noncontrolling Interest	0	0	0
Proceeds shares issued under incentive plans	0	0	0
Repurchase of ordinary shares	0	0	0
Other, net	0
Net cash (used in) provided by continuing financing activities	2.0	27.0	6.8
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash and cash equivalents	0	0	0
Net (decrease) increase in cash and cash equivalents	(12.0)	12.0	0
Cash and cash equivalents - beginning of period	12.0	0	0
Cash and cash equivalents - end of period	0	12.0	0
IR Global Holding [Member]
Net cash (used in) provided by continuing operating activities	(192.8)	(384.5)	(188.0)
Net cash (used in) provided by discontinued operating activities	0	0	0
Capital expenditures	0	(0.3)	0
Acquisition of businesses, net of cash acquired	0	0	0
Proceeds from sale of property, plant and equipment	0	0	0
Proceeds from business dispositions, net of cash sold	0	0	0
Other	0	0	0
Net cash (used in) provided by continuing investing activities	0	(0.3)	0
Net cash (used in) provided by discontinued investing activities	0	0	0
Net proceeds (repayments) in debt	(0.2)	(249.8)	(752.7)
Debt issuance costs	(2.3)	(5.5)	(16.1)
Excess tax benefit from share based compensation	0	0	0
Settlement of cross currency swap			0
Net inter-company (payments) proceeds	337.2	658.2	1,028.1
Dividends paid to ordinary shareholders	0	0	9.4
Dividends paid to noncontrolling interests	0	0	0
Acquisition/divestiture of noncontrolling Interest	0	0	0
Proceeds shares issued under incentive plans	0	0	0
Repurchase of ordinary shares	0	0	0
Other, net	0
Net cash (used in) provided by continuing financing activities	334.7	402.9	268.7
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash and cash equivalents	0	0	0
Net (decrease) increase in cash and cash equivalents	141.9	18.1	80.7
Cash and cash equivalents - beginning of period	99.9	81.8	1.1
Cash and cash equivalents - end of period	241.8	99.9	81.8
IR New Jersey [Member]
Net cash (used in) provided by continuing operating activities	246.4	(324.7)	40.3
Net cash (used in) provided by discontinued operating activities	(79.1)	(16.8)	(50.5)
Capital expenditures	(47.6)	(36.3)	(24.5)
Acquisition of businesses, net of cash acquired	0	0	0
Proceeds from sale of property, plant and equipment	3.1	0	0
Proceeds from business dispositions, net of cash sold	0	0	0
Other	0	0	0
Net cash (used in) provided by continuing investing activities	(44.5)	(36.3)	(24.5)
Net cash (used in) provided by discontinued investing activities	0	0	0
Net proceeds (repayments) in debt	(7.7)	(7.8)	(8.8)
Debt issuance costs	0	0	0
Excess tax benefit from share based compensation	11.8	4.2	0.7
Settlement of cross currency swap			0
Net inter-company (payments) proceeds	(184.6)	339.8	198.5
Dividends paid to ordinary shareholders	0	1.6	11.2
Dividends paid to noncontrolling interests	0	0	0
Acquisition/divestiture of noncontrolling Interest	0	0	0
Proceeds shares issued under incentive plans	0	0	0
Repurchase of ordinary shares	0	0	0
Other, net	0
Net cash (used in) provided by continuing financing activities	(180.5)	337.8	201.6
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash and cash equivalents	0	0	0
Net (decrease) increase in cash and cash equivalents	(57.7)	(40.0)	166.9
Cash and cash equivalents - beginning of period	135.5	175.5	8.6
Cash and cash equivalents - end of period	77.8	135.5	175.5
Other Subsidiaries [Member]
Net cash (used in) provided by continuing operating activities	1,209.0	1,498.0	1,965.2
Net cash (used in) provided by discontinued operating activities	35.7	(44.2)	28.2
Capital expenditures	(195.3)	(142.9)	(179.5)
Acquisition of businesses, net of cash acquired	(1.9)	(14.0)	0
Proceeds from sale of property, plant and equipment	48.9	14.5	21.6
Proceeds from business dispositions, net of cash sold	355.9	0	0
Other	0	0	(0.6)
Net cash (used in) provided by continuing investing activities	207.6	(142.4)	(158.5)
Net cash (used in) provided by discontinued investing activities	44.4	0.4	0.4
Net proceeds (repayments) in debt	(46.1)	(171.2)	(249.0)
Debt issuance costs	0	0	0
Excess tax benefit from share based compensation	12.8	0	0
Settlement of cross currency swap			(26.9)
Net inter-company (payments) proceeds	(1,358.9)	(1,001.5)	(1,523.5)
Dividends paid to ordinary shareholders	0	12.3	81.4
Dividends paid to noncontrolling interests	(26.2)	(20.2)	(20.2)
Acquisition/divestiture of noncontrolling Interest	(1.3)	(8.0)	(1.5)
Proceeds shares issued under incentive plans	0	0	0
Repurchase of ordinary shares	0	0	0
Other, net	(0.9)
Net cash (used in) provided by continuing financing activities	(1,420.6)	(1,188.6)	(1,739.7)
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash and cash equivalents	(1.5)	24.5	(17.3)
Net (decrease) increase in cash and cash equivalents	74.6	147.7	78.3
Cash and cash equivalents - beginning of period	766.5	618.8	540.5
Cash and cash equivalents - end of period	$ 841.1	$ 766.5	$ 618.8