Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Benefits such as maternity benefit are paid at the same rate, which is currently €245 per week. Any proposal to change the rate of payment can be considered only in the overall budgetary context. As a result of budget changes provided for in the Bill, there will be a €5 increase in all core working-age weekly payments, including maternity, paternity, adoptive and parent's benefit, from January 2022. The new rate of payment will be €250 per week. Over time, parent's leave and benefit will increase to nine weeks for each parent, in line with the EU work-life balance directive. This will bring paid leave in Ireland up to a combined 46 weeks for a two-parent family by 2024.

The Government has committed, as part of the programme for Government, to examining pay-related benefit for people who lose their jobs. As part of next year's budget, I intend to bring forward proposals on pay-related benefit for those who lose their job. That will involve a major change in the social welfare system, and if we get it right, we can then examine widening it out to other benefits. I think it is best to focus on pay-related benefits for the unemployed first, and once we have that principle, we can consider it in other areas.

I am a strong supporter of pay-related benefit. The PUP is a very good example of pay-related benefit. Nevertheless, I have to take this one step at a time.

See this speech in context