Peter Burke (Longford-Westmeath, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I will read the speaking note from the Department. Ireland along with Belgium and Spain were referred to the Court of Justice in November 2023 due to incomplete transposition of the work-life balance directive. This includes a number of important entitlements for parents and carers to support them to balance their working and caring responsibilities. These include an entitlement of two weeks' paternity leave under Article 4; nine weeks' paid parental leave under Article 5; a provision that each parent should have short-term leave for caring purposes under Article 6; force majeure leave under Article 7; and the right to request flexible working under Article 9. Only the provision related to the flexible working under Article 9 remains fully to be transposed. As paternity leave and force majeure had already been available in Ireland there were no transposition steps to be taken. The Parent's Leave and Benefit Act 2019 introduced two weeks' paid parental leave in line with Article 5. This has been extended now to seven weeks for each parent of a child under two----