Michael Healy-Rae (Kerry, Independent)
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111. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the status of parental leave for public sector workers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5118/16]

Brendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour)
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Responsibility for the general statutory provisions relating to Parental Leave comes under the remit of the Minister for Justice and Equality. The basis for the current age limit is contained in Council Directive 2010/18/EU which gives effect to the Parental Leave Framework Agreement negotiated by the European social partners in 2009. The upper age limit was negotiated and agreed by employers and Trade Union representatives at EU level and their agreement was then given force of law by the Directive.

Employers, including those in the public service, are free to give further flexibility to employees in addition to the statutory minimum.  In this context specific policies relating to Parental Leave in each of the sectors of the Public Service, other than the Civil Service, are dealt with by the appropriate responsible Minister.

In the Civil Service we increased the maximum age of the child in respect of whom civil servants may take parental leave from eight to thirteen years (Circular 13/2010). This arrangement is part of a suite of flexible working arrangements available in the Civil Service.

However, the question of raising the maximum age for employees in the private sector is a matter for the Minister for Justice and Equality in the first instance.