Guarantor Financial Information (Condensed Consolidating Statement of Cash Flows) (Details) (USD $) In Millions, unless otherwise specified	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2012	Dec. 31, 2011	Dec. 31, 2010
Net cash (used in) provided by continuing operating activities	$ 1,277.7	$ 1,230.2	$ 756.4
Net cash (used in) provided by discontinued operating activities	(96.8)	(43.4)	(61.0)
Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities	1,180.9	1,186.8	695.4
Capital expenditures	(262.6)	(242.9)	(179.5)
Acquisition of businesses, net of cash acquired	0	(1.9)	(14.0)
Proceeds from sale of property, plant and equipment	19.2	52.0	14.5
Proceeds from business dispositions, net of cash sold	52.7	400.3	0
Dividends received from equity investments	44.3
Net cash (used in) provided by continuing investing activities	(146.4)	207.5	(179.0)
Net cash (used in) provided by discontinued investing activities	0	0	0.4
Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities	(146.4)	207.5	(178.6)
Net proceeds (repayments) in debt	(414.8)	(54.0)	(428.8)
Debt issuance costs	(2.5)	(2.3)	(5.5)
Excess tax benefit from share based compensation	19.6	24.6	4.2
Net inter-company (payments) proceeds	0	0	0
Dividends paid to ordinary shareholders	(213.1)	(163.5)	(110.9)
Dividends paid to noncontrolling interests	(20.7)	(26.2)	(20.2)
Acquisition/divestiture of noncontrolling Interest	(1.5)	(1.3)	(8.0)
Proceeds shares issued under incentive plans	152.9	109.0	145.3
Repurchase of ordinary shares	(839.8)	(1,157.5)	0
Other, net	(4.7)	(1.4)	0
Net cash (used in) provided by continuing financing activities	(1,303.9)	(1,246.4)	(403.7)
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash and cash equivalents	(9.2)	(1.5)	24.5
Net (decrease) increase in cash and cash equivalents	(278.6)	146.4	137.6
Cash and cash equivalents - beginning of period	1,160.7	1,014.3	876.7
Cash and cash equivalents - end of period	882.1	1,160.7	1,014.3
IR Ireland [Member]
Net cash (used in) provided by continuing operating activities	(19.7)	(13.1)	5.7
Net cash (used in) provided by discontinued operating activities	0	0	0
Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities	(19.7)	(13.1)	5.7
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
Dividends received from equity investments	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 cash provided by (used in) 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	19.6	0	0
Net inter-company (payments) proceeds	884.5	1,199.0	(60.6)
Dividends paid to ordinary shareholders	(192.4)	(137.3)	(90.6)
Acquisition/divestiture of noncontrolling Interest	(0.4)	0	0
Proceeds shares issued under incentive plans	152.9	109.0	145.3
Repurchase of ordinary shares	(839.8)	(1,157.5)	0
Other, net	(4.7)	(0.5)	0
Net cash (used in) provided by continuing financing activities	19.7	12.7	(5.9)
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash and cash equivalents	0	0	0
Net (decrease) increase in cash and cash equivalents	0	(0.4)	(0.2)
Cash and cash equivalents - beginning of period	0	0.4	0.6
Cash and cash equivalents - end of period	0	0	0.4
IR Limited [Member]
Net cash (used in) provided by continuing operating activities	(0.4)	(5.3)	(0.4)
Net cash (used in) provided by discontinued operating activities	0	0	0
Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities	(0.4)	(5.3)	(0.4)
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
Dividends received from equity investments	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 cash provided by (used in) 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
Net inter-company (payments) proceeds	0.4	5.3	37.1
Dividends paid to ordinary shareholders	0	0	(36.7)
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	0	0
Net cash (used in) provided by continuing financing activities	0.4	5.3	0.4
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	(15.1)	(14.0)	(15.0)
Net cash (used in) provided by discontinued operating activities	0	0	0
Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities	(15.1)	(14.0)	(15.0)
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
Dividends received from equity investments	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 cash provided by (used in) 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
Net inter-company (payments) proceeds	15.1	2.0	27.0
Dividends paid to ordinary shareholders	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	0	0
Net cash (used in) provided by continuing financing activities	15.1	2.0	27.0
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash and cash equivalents	0	0	0
Net (decrease) increase in cash and cash equivalents	0	(12.0)	12.0
Cash and cash equivalents - beginning of period	0	12.0	0
Cash and cash equivalents - end of period	0	0	12.0
IR Global Holding [Member]
Net cash (used in) provided by continuing operating activities	(570.5)	(185.3)	(379.9)
Net cash (used in) provided by discontinued operating activities	0	0	0
Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities	(570.5)	(185.3)	(379.9)
Capital expenditures	0	0	(0.3)
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
Dividends received from equity investments	0
Net cash (used in) provided by continuing investing activities	0	0	(0.3)
Net cash (used in) provided by discontinued investing activities	0	0	0
Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities	0	0	(0.3)
Net proceeds (repayments) in debt	(344.5)	(0.2)	(249.8)
Debt issuance costs	(2.5)	(2.3)	(5.5)
Excess tax benefit from share based compensation	0	0	0
Net inter-company (payments) proceeds	737.6	329.7	653.6
Dividends paid to ordinary shareholders	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	0	0
Net cash (used in) provided by continuing financing activities	390.6	327.2	398.3
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash and cash equivalents	0	0	0
Net (decrease) increase in cash and cash equivalents	(179.9)	141.9	18.1
Cash and cash equivalents - beginning of period	241.8	99.9	81.8
Cash and cash equivalents - end of period	61.9	241.8	99.9
IR New Jersey [Member]
Net cash (used in) provided by continuing operating activities	(122.1)	143.0	(486.8)
Net cash (used in) provided by discontinued operating activities	0.3	(79.1)	(16.8)
Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities	(121.8)	63.9	(503.6)
Capital expenditures	(74.9)	(47.6)	(36.3)
Acquisition of businesses, net of cash acquired	0	0	0
Proceeds from sale of property, plant and equipment	3.1	3.1	0
Proceeds from business dispositions, net of cash sold	0	0	0
Dividends received from equity investments	0
Net cash (used in) provided by continuing investing activities	(71.8)	(44.5)	(36.3)
Net cash (used in) provided by discontinued investing activities	0	0	0
Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities	(71.8)	(44.5)	(36.3)
Net proceeds (repayments) in debt	(9.2)	(7.7)	(7.8)
Debt issuance costs	0	0	0
Excess tax benefit from share based compensation	0	11.8	4.2
Net inter-company (payments) proceeds	184.1	(81.2)	503.5
Dividends paid to ordinary shareholders	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	0	0
Net cash (used in) provided by continuing financing activities	174.9	(77.1)	499.9
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash and cash equivalents	0	0	0
Net (decrease) increase in cash and cash equivalents	(18.7)	(57.7)	(40.0)
Cash and cash equivalents - beginning of period	77.8	135.5	175.5
Cash and cash equivalents - end of period	59.1	77.8	135.5
Other Subsidiaries [Member]
Net cash (used in) provided by continuing operating activities	2,325.0	1,326.4	1,678.6
Net cash (used in) provided by discontinued operating activities	(97.1)	35.7	(44.2)
Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities	2,227.9	1,362.1	1,634.4
Capital expenditures	(187.7)	(195.3)	(142.9)
Acquisition of businesses, net of cash acquired	0	(1.9)	(14.0)
Proceeds from sale of property, plant and equipment	16.1	48.9	14.5
Proceeds from business dispositions, net of cash sold	52.7	400.3	0
Dividends received from equity investments	44.3
Net cash (used in) provided by continuing investing activities	(74.6)	252.0	(142.4)
Net cash (used in) provided by discontinued investing activities	0	0	0.4
Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities	(74.6)	252.0	(142.0)
Net proceeds (repayments) in debt	(61.1)	(46.1)	(171.2)
Debt issuance costs	0	0	0
Excess tax benefit from share based compensation	0	12.8	0
Net inter-company (payments) proceeds	(1,821.7)	(1,454.8)	(1,160.6)
Dividends paid to ordinary shareholders	(340.2)	(47.7)	(29.4)
Acquisition/divestiture of noncontrolling Interest	(1.1)	(1.3)	(8.0)
Proceeds shares issued under incentive plans	0	0	0
Repurchase of ordinary shares	0	0	0
Other, net	0	(0.9)	0
Net cash (used in) provided by continuing financing activities	(2,224.1)	(1,538.0)	(1,369.2)
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash and cash equivalents	(9.2)	(1.5)	24.5
Net (decrease) increase in cash and cash equivalents	(80.0)	74.6	147.7
Cash and cash equivalents - beginning of period	841.1	766.5	618.8
Cash and cash equivalents - end of period	761.1	841.1	766.5
Consolidating Adjustments [Member]
Net cash (used in) provided by continuing operating activities	(319.5)	(21.5)	(45.8)
Net cash (used in) provided by discontinued operating activities	0	0	0
Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities	(319.5)	(21.5)	(45.8)
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
Dividends received from equity investments	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 cash provided by (used in) 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
Net inter-company (payments) proceeds	0	0	0
Dividends paid to ordinary shareholders	319.5	21.5	45.8
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	0	0
Net cash (used in) provided by continuing financing activities	319.5	21.5	45.8
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