Written answers

Thursday, 22 September 2011

Department of Justice, Equality and Defence

Parental Leave

4:00 pm

Photo of Joanna TuffyJoanna Tuffy (Dublin Mid West, Labour)
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Question 139: To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform his plans to extend parental leave to public servants similar to the leave for civil servants as per Circular 13/2010; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25389/11]

Photo of Brendan HowlinBrendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour)
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The statutory entitlements to Parental Leave are set out in the Parental Leave Act 1998 and the Parental Leave (Amendment) Act 2006.

All employers have to provide access to up to fourteen weeks unpaid leave for employees with children under eight years of age. The fourteen weeks can be spread over eight years by agreement, but the employer can insist that they are taken in blocks of at least six weeks.

The arrangements for parental leave for civil servants come within my area of responsibility. However, arrangements in other parts of the public service are the responsibility of the appropriate Minister.

Within the civil service the arrangements for parental leave are set out in the Circular 20/2008: Parental Leave in the Civil Service.

Circular 13/2010 amended Circular 20/2008 with effect from 1 September 2010. The amendment relates to an increase in the maximum age of the child in respect of whom employees may take parental leave from eight to thirteen years. In the case of an adopted child, where the child is eleven years or more but less than age thirteen, the parental leave must be taken within two years of the adoption order. In the case of a child with a disability, the age limit of sixteen years still applies.

The total amount of parental leave has not increased; it is the cut off point, the time by which the leave must be taken, that has been extended.

All other terms included in the previous Circular, 20/2008, continue to apply.

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