Written answers

Tuesday, 8 July 2014

Department of Justice and Equality

Equality Issues

Photo of Damien EnglishDamien English (Meath West, Fine Gael)
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617. To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality if she will outline any body of work that she has carried out to date on the issue of introducing shared parental leave; her views that a more flexible system is needed for parents of new born babies to allow them to choose the best work and family balance for their lives; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [29427/14]

Photo of Frances FitzgeraldFrances Fitzgerald (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael)
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Work on the preparation of a Family Leave Bill is underway and I hope be in a position to publish it before the end of 2014. As already announced, this Bill will provide for the consolidation into one piece of legislation of the current provisions regarding maternity, adoptive, parental and carer's leave. As the Deputy will be aware, the Government agreed, in 2013, not to oppose a Private Members' Bill introduced in Seanad Éireann by Senator Mary White, which provides for the sharing by the mother and father of the current maternity leave provision. The Government supports the principle of such flexibility, but the precise details of how this might be achieved need further consideration and consultation. Minister of State Lynch on behalf of the Government has indicated in the Seanad debates on the Bill that significant detailed amendments would be required and work is ongoing within my Department in this regard. I might also mention the current provision of 18 weeks unpaid parental leave is available to each parent per child. This was increased to 18 weeks from the previous applicable allowance of 14 weeks in 2013.

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