Ciara Conway (Waterford, Labour)
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502. To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality if he will consider introducing a shared leave option for maternity leave entitlements; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2658/13]

Ciara Conway (Waterford, Labour)
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503. To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality his plans to introduce a statutory minimum leave entitlement for fathers on the birth or adoption of their child; if this will be paid entitlement; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2659/13]

Alan Shatter (Dublin South, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 502 and 503 together.

Currently parental leave is available to both fathers and mothers equally and the available leave will shortly increase to 18 weeks when the revised Parental Leave Directive is transposed into national law.

This revised Parental Leave Directive gives legal effect to the revised Framework Agreement on Parental Leave, concluded by the European social partners (BUSINESSEUROPE,UEAPME,CEEP and ETUC). As part of their discussions on the Framework Agreement I understand the issue of paternity leave was considered, however, agreement could not be reached by the social partners on this policy area.

While at this time there are no proposals to introduce paternity leave or shared maternity leave this matter will be kept under review.