Róisín Shortall (Dublin North West, Social Democrats)
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231. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the full year cost of introducing one week's entitlement to paid parental leave based on the rate of maternity benefit and based on both parents being eligible and if the entitlement is being restricted to one parent or shared between them. [24081/18]

Regina Doherty (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 227 and 231 together.

The Department of Justice and Equality has policy and legislative responsibility for maternity, paternity leave and parental leave. My Department has responsibility for any associated social welfare payments.

Maternity benefit and paternity benefit are paid by my Department and are based on payment of PRSI contributions while working. The current entitlement to paid maternity leave is 26 weeks and paid paternity leave is 2 weeks for which the Government has provided funding of approximately €264 million and €16 million respectively for in 2018.

The estimated full year cost of introducing an additional week's entitlement to paid parental leave based on the rate of maternity benefit which could be taken by either parent would depend on the cohort of parents who would avail of it. For example, one additional week of maternity benefit would cost approximately €9.6m while one additional week of paternity benefit would cost €5.2m. If the leave could be taken by either parent then the estimated cost would be between €5.2m and €9.6m. Similarly, the cost of extending this paid leave by three months (13 weeks) would cost would between €67.8m and €124.8m.

These estimates are based on the cost for a full year at the current minimum rate of €240 per week for both maternity and paternity benefit and assume that any increase in duration is implemented from the beginning of the year.

This costing is subject to change in the context of emerging trends and associated revision of the estimated numbers of recipients for 2018. It should also be noted that there are additional costs to the Exchequer as these estimates do not include the costs of salary top-ups for public/civil servants.

I trust that this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.