Brendan Griffin (Kerry, Fine Gael)
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263. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality his views on a matter and if he will provide clarification on it (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2851/19]

David Stanton (Cork East, Fine Gael)
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It is important to note that the Government has always been, and continues to be, supportive of the principle of parental leave. In fact, as part of Budget 2019, the Government announced the introduction of a new paid parental leave scheme which will commence later this year. This new scheme will initially provide two weeks of paid, non-transferable leave per parent, with a view to expanding the scheme and increasing the number of weeks of paid leave for both parents in future years.

During the debate in Dáil Éireann on the Parental Leave (Amendment) Bill 2017, which is a Private Member's Bill, I strongly suggested that the relevant Oireachtas Committee would carry out detailed pre-legislative scrutiny on this Bill. If this had occurred, it would have allowed all stakeholders to scrutinise the proposed legislation and to report on any policy or legal issues which may have to be identified.

As the Government is not the sponsor of a Private Member's Bill, I cannot advise on the progress of the Parental Leave (Amendment) Bill 2017.