Written answers
Wednesday, 22 November 2006
Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform
Maternity Leave
9:00 pm
Richard Bruton (Dublin North Central, Fine Gael)
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Question 168: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform if he has considered maternity leave rights that are available in other European countries; his views on the contrast between the regime here and the more progressive regimes in terms of length of leave, flexibility of leave and employer rights to refuse the leave; and his plans to improve Irish law. [39309/06]
Michael McDowell (Dublin South East, Progressive Democrats)
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The Government recognises the need to provide support to working parents after the birth or adoption of a child, and has already made a number of significant improvements to our legislation to ensure this.
The latest National Agreement — Towards 2016 — includes a commitment to continue to enhance maternity leave entitlements, in line with the measures announced in Budget 2006, aimed at helping children and their families to experience the qualities of family life, particularly in the important first year of life of the child. This will involve extending the period of paid maternity leave to 6 months by March 2007 and the unpaid maternity leave entitlement to 16 weeks. Together with the existing 14 weeks parental leave, parents' entitlement to paid and unpaid leave will be increased to a total period of 56 weeks (or 70 weeks if the father's parental leave entitlement is also included). The level of provision of maternity/paternity leave will be reviewed again before end 2008.
Comparisons between the Member States are difficult in that one needs to see maternity rights in the context of the overall package of parenting entitlements available in Member States. In some countries, there is a fine line between maternity and parental leave, and that part of the leave classified as parental leave may in fact be maternity leave.
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