Clare Daly (Dublin North, Socialist Party)
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Question 256: To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality if he will consider amending the Adoptive Leave Act 2005 to allow either parent to take adoptive leave. [13549/11]

Alan Shatter (Dublin South, Fine Gael)
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The issue of principle raised by the Deputy's question goes beyond adoptive leave as any proposal to allow either parent avail of such leave would require consideration of maternity leave issues also. I refer the Deputy to my reply to Question No. 115 of 19 May last: "there is currently no general entitlement to paternity leave in Irish law". The position is unchanged since then. There are no plans to amend the Adoptive Leave Act 2005 as suggested. However, the wider issue will continue to be kept under review. This is the reply to Question No. 115 of 19 May 2011:

The Adoption Leave Acts 1995 and 2005 provide an entitlement to adoptive leave to an employed adopting mother or to a sole male adopter. These provisions closely follow the provisions for maternity leave in the Maternity Protection Act 1994. There is currently no general entitlement to paternity leave in Irish law. Both the Employment Equality Act 1998 and the Equal Status Act 2000 contain (at Section 17 and Section 14 respectively) savers for other enactments, including the Adoptive Leave Act and Maternity Protection Acts.