Earnings Per Share (Details) (USD $) In Millions, except Per Share data	3 Months Ended	9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2011	Sep. 30, 2010	Sep. 30, 2011	Sep. 30, 2010
Amounts attributable to Shire plc
Numerator for Basic Earnings Per Share	$ 192.9	$ 96.3	$ 609.7	$ 422.7
Interest on Convertible Bonds, Net of Tax	8.4	0	25.2	25.2
Numerator for Diluted Earnings Per Share	$ 201.3	$ 96.3	$ 634.9	$ 447.9
Weighted Average Number of Shares
Basic	551.3	547.0	551.2	546.1
Effect of Dilutive Shares
Incremental Common Shares Attributable to Share-based Awards to Employees	9.0	9.7	10.4	10.4
Incremental Common Shares Attributable to Convertible Debt	33.5	0	33.4	33.2
Diluted, Total	593.8	556.7	595.0	589.7
Earnings Per Ordinary Share Attributable to Shire plc Shareholders, Basic
Earnings Per Share, Basic	$ 0.350	$ 0.176	$ 1.106	$ 0.774
Earnings Per Ordinary Share Attributable to Shire plc Shareholders, Diluted
Earnings Per Share, Diluted	$ 0.339	$ 0.173	$ 1.067	$ 0.760
Stock Compensation Plan
Antidilutive Securities Excluded from Computation of Earnings Per Share [Line Items]
Antidilutive Securities Excluded from Computation of Earnings Per Share, Shares	3.2	3.6	3.9	8.9
Convertible Debt Securities
Antidilutive Securities Excluded from Computation of Earnings Per Share [Line Items]
Antidilutive Securities Excluded from Computation of Earnings Per Share, Shares	0	33.2	0	0

Securities (including those issuable pursuant to contingent stock agreements) that could potentially dilute basic earnings per share (EPS) or earnings per unit (EPU) in the future that were not included in the computation of diluted EPS or EPU because to do so would increase EPS or EPU amounts or decrease loss per share or unit amounts for the period presented.

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The amount of net income or loss for the period per each share of common stock outstanding during the reporting period.

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The amount of net income or loss for the period per each share of common stock and dilutive common stock equivalents outstanding during the reporting period.

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Debt securities outstanding shall be assumed to have been converted at the beginning of the period (or at time of issuance, if later), and the resulting common shares shall be included in common shares used to calculate diluted earnings per shares. The dilutive effect of convertible debt securities shall be reflected in diluted Earnings Per Share by application of the if-converted method.

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Aggregate awards of share options and nonvested shares to be issued to an employee under a share-based compensation arrangement are considered options for purposes of computing diluted earnings per share. Such share-based awards shall be considered to be outstanding as of the grant date for purposes of computing diluted earnings per share even though their exercise may be contingent upon vesting. Those share-based awards are included in the diluted Earnings Per Share (EPS) computation even if the employee may not receive (or be able to sell) the stock until some future date. Accordingly, all shares to be issued shall be included in computing diluted EPS if the effect is dilutive. The dilutive effect of share-based compensation arrangements shall be computed using the treasury stock method. If the equity share options or other equity instruments are outstanding for only part of a period, the shares issuable shall be weighted to reflect the portion of the period during which the equity instruments were outstanding.

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Net Income (Loss) Available to Common Stockholders plus adjustments resulting from the assumption that dilutive convertible securities were converted, options or warrants were exercised, or that other shares were issued upon the satisfaction of certain conditions.

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