Charlie O'Connor (Dublin South West, Fianna Fail)
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Question 80: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children the arrangements for maternity leave within the public bodies under the aegis of her Department; if she will consider providing an additional eight weeks' paid maternity leave; the likely cost thereof; the likely cost to the Exchequer of six weeks' paid parental leave; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [12730/05]

Mary Harney (Dublin Mid West, Progressive Democrats)
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The arrangements for maternity leave in public bodies under the aegis of my Department provide for a period of 18 weeks paid leave with the option for up to an additional eight weeks unpaid leave in line with the provisions set out in the Maternity Protection Act 2004. In addition, unpaid parental leave of up to 14 weeks is available to parents of children up to eight years or up to 16 years in the case of a child with a disability.

As there are at present no plans to introduce an additional eight weeks' paid maternity leave or six weeks' paid parental leave, no analysis has been undertaken by my Department on the likely cost of any such initiative. Any such expansion of these entitlements to bodies under the aegis of my Department in the future would most likely be considered only in the context of a similar expansion for the wider public service.