Guarantor Financial Information (Condensed Consolidating Statements of Cash Flows) (Details) (USD $) In Millions, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2013	Mar. 31, 2012
Net cash provided by (used in) continuing operating activities	$ (0.8)	$ 82.2
Net cash provided by (used in) discontinued operating activities	(7.2)	(65.8)
Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities	(8.0)	16.4
Capital expenditures	(71.4)	(52.9)
Proceeds from sale of property, plant and equipment	4.2	3.2
Net cash provided by (used in) continuing investing activities	(67.2)	(49.7)
Net cash provided by (used in) discontinued investing activities	0	0
Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities	(67.2)	(49.7)
Net proceeds (repayments) in debt	2.7	(1.3)
Debt issuance costs	0	(2.4)
Net inter-company proceeds (payments)	0	0
Dividends paid	66.8	51.1
Proceeds from shares issued under incentive plans	90.7	12.9
Net cash provided by (used in) continuing financing activities	26.6	(41.9)
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash and cash equivalents	(0.6)	4.0
Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents	(49.2)	(71.2)
Cash and cash equivalents - beginning of period	882.1	1,160.7
Cash and cash equivalents - end of period	832.9	1,089.5
IR Ireland [Member]
Net cash provided by (used in) continuing operating activities	(2.3)	(1.8)
Net cash provided by (used in) discontinued operating activities	0	0
Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities	(2.3)	(1.8)
Capital expenditures	0	0
Proceeds from sale of property, plant and equipment	0	0
Net cash provided by (used in) continuing investing activities	0	0
Net cash provided by (used in) discontinued investing activities	0	0
Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities	0	0
Net proceeds (repayments) in debt	0	0
Debt issuance costs		0
Net inter-company proceeds (payments)	(25.6)	35.5
Dividends paid	62.8	46.6
Proceeds from shares issued under incentive plans	90.7	12.9
Net cash provided by (used in) continuing financing activities	2.3	1.8
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash and cash equivalents	0	0
Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents	0	0
Cash and cash equivalents - beginning of period	0	0
Cash and cash equivalents - end of period	0	0
IR Limited [Member]
Net cash provided by (used in) continuing operating activities	0	0
Net cash provided by (used in) discontinued operating activities	0	0
Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities	0	0
Capital expenditures	0	0
Proceeds from sale of property, plant and equipment	0	0
Net cash provided by (used in) continuing investing activities	0	0
Net cash provided by (used in) discontinued investing activities	0	0
Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities	0	0
Net proceeds (repayments) in debt	0	0
Debt issuance costs		0
Net inter-company proceeds (payments)	0	0
Dividends paid	0	0
Proceeds from shares issued under incentive plans	0	0
Net cash provided by (used in) continuing financing activities	0	0
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash and cash equivalents	0	0
Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents	0	0
Cash and cash equivalents - beginning of period	0	0
Cash and cash equivalents - end of period	0	0
IR International [Member]
Net cash provided by (used in) continuing operating activities	(3.4)	(3.8)
Net cash provided by (used in) discontinued operating activities	0	0
Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities	(3.4)	(3.8)
Capital expenditures	0	0
Proceeds from sale of property, plant and equipment	0	0
Net cash provided by (used in) continuing investing activities	0	0
Net cash provided by (used in) discontinued investing activities	0	0
Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities	0	0
Net proceeds (repayments) in debt	0	0
Debt issuance costs		0
Net inter-company proceeds (payments)	3.4	3.8
Dividends paid	0	0
Proceeds from shares issued under incentive plans	0	0
Net cash provided by (used in) continuing financing activities	3.4	3.8
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash and cash equivalents	0	0
Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents	0	0
Cash and cash equivalents - beginning of period	0	0
Cash and cash equivalents - end of period	0	0
IR Global [Member]
Net cash provided by (used in) continuing operating activities	(39.8)	(47.8)
Net cash provided by (used in) discontinued operating activities	0	0
Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities	(39.8)	(47.8)
Capital expenditures	0	0
Proceeds from sale of property, plant and equipment	0	0
Net cash provided by (used in) continuing investing activities	0	0
Net cash provided by (used in) discontinued investing activities	0	0
Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities	0	0
Net proceeds (repayments) in debt	0	0
Debt issuance costs		(2.4)
Net inter-company proceeds (payments)	(22.1)	(70.8)
Dividends paid	0	0
Proceeds from shares issued under incentive plans	0	0
Net cash provided by (used in) continuing financing activities	(22.1)	(73.2)
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash and cash equivalents	0	0
Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents	(61.9)	(121.0)
Cash and cash equivalents - beginning of period	61.9	241.8
Cash and cash equivalents - end of period	0	120.8
IR New Jersey [Member]
Net cash provided by (used in) continuing operating activities	(194.7)	(87.4)
Net cash provided by (used in) discontinued operating activities	(9.9)	14.3
Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities	(204.6)	(73.1)
Capital expenditures	(20.8)	(13.5)
Proceeds from sale of property, plant and equipment	0.2	0
Net cash provided by (used in) continuing investing activities	(20.6)	(13.5)
Net cash provided by (used in) discontinued investing activities	0	0
Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities	(20.6)	(13.5)
Net proceeds (repayments) in debt	0	(0.1)
Debt issuance costs		0
Net inter-company proceeds (payments)	257.5	211.9
Dividends paid	0	0
Proceeds from shares issued under incentive plans	0	0
Net cash provided by (used in) continuing financing activities	257.5	211.8
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash and cash equivalents	0	0
Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents	32.3	125.2
Cash and cash equivalents - beginning of period	59.1	77.8
Cash and cash equivalents - end of period	91.4	203.0
Other Subsidiaries [Member]
Net cash provided by (used in) continuing operating activities	239.8	223.5
Net cash provided by (used in) discontinued operating activities	2.7	(80.1)
Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities	242.5	143.4
Capital expenditures	(50.6)	(39.4)
Proceeds from sale of property, plant and equipment	4.0	3.2
Net cash provided by (used in) continuing investing activities	(46.6)	(36.2)
Net cash provided by (used in) discontinued investing activities	0	0
Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities	(46.6)	(36.2)
Net proceeds (repayments) in debt	2.7	(1.2)
Debt issuance costs		0
Net inter-company proceeds (payments)	(213.2)	(180.4)
Dividends paid	4.4	5.0
Proceeds from shares issued under incentive plans	0	0
Net cash provided by (used in) continuing financing activities	(214.9)	(186.6)
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash and cash equivalents	(0.6)	4.0
Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents	(19.6)	(75.4)
Cash and cash equivalents - beginning of period	761.1	841.1
Cash and cash equivalents - end of period	741.5	765.7
Consolidating Adjustments [Member]
Net cash provided by (used in) continuing operating activities	(0.4)	(0.5)
Net cash provided by (used in) discontinued operating activities	0	0
Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities	(0.4)	(0.5)
Capital expenditures	0	0
Proceeds from sale of property, plant and equipment	0	0
Net cash provided by (used in) continuing investing activities	0	0
Net cash provided by (used in) discontinued investing activities	0	0
Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities	0	0
Net proceeds (repayments) in debt	0	0
Debt issuance costs		0
Net inter-company proceeds (payments)	0	0
Dividends paid	(0.4)	(0.5)
Proceeds from shares issued under incentive plans	0	0
Net cash provided by (used in) continuing financing activities	0.4	0.5
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash and cash equivalents	0	0
Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents	0	0
Cash and cash equivalents - beginning of period	0	0
Cash and cash equivalents - end of period	$ 0	$ 0