Written answers
Thursday, 19 September 2019
Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection
Maternity Leave
Kathleen Funchion (Carlow-Kilkenny, Sinn Fein)
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237. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the estimated full combined cost of increasing maternity benefit by €20, €30, €40 and €50 per week, respectively, while extending maternity benefit by two, three, four, five and six weeks, respectively, based on most recent maternity leave uptake numbers in tabular form. [38017/19]
Pearse Doherty (Donegal, Sinn Fein)
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238. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the estimated cost of introducing an additional one, two and six weeks, respectively, of maternity leave; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [38110/19]
Regina Doherty (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 237 and 238 together.
Maternity Benefit is paid for 26 weeks at a rate of €245 per week. The 2019 Estimates for the Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection provide for expenditure of approximately €256 million on Maternity Benefit. The estimated additional cost of extending the duration of maternity benefit is approximately €9.7 million for each extra week.
The following table estimates the full year cost of increasing the duration of maternity benefit by €20, €30, €40 and €50 per week respectively while extending maternity benefit by two, three, four, five and six weeks, respectively based on most recent maternity leave uptake numbers in tabular form.
| Annual Cost (€m) of additional weeks at current rate €245 | Annual Cost (€m) of additional weeks at €265/week | Annual Cost (€m) of additional weeks at €275/week | Annual Cost (€m) of additional weeks at €285/week | Annual Cost (€m) of additional weeks at €295/week | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Current 26 weeks Maternity Benefit | 256 | 277 | 287 | 297 | 308 |
| Extending benefit by 1 week | 265 | 287 | 298 | 309 | 320 |
| Extending benefit by 2 weeks | 275 | 298 | 309 | 320 | 331 |
| Extending benefit by 3 weeks | 285 | 308 | 320 | 331 | 343 |
| Extending benefit by 4 weeks | 295 | 319 | 331 | 343 | 355 |
| Extending benefit by 5 weeks | 304 | 329 | 342 | 354 | 367 |
| Extending benefit by 6 weeks | 314 | 340 | 353 | 366 | 378 |
These estimates are based on the cost for a full year and assume that any increase in duration is implemented from the beginning of the year. This costing is subject to change over the coming months in the context of emerging trends.
There would also be additional costs for employers including substitution and public sector pay costs which would be a matter for my colleague the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform. Decisions around the extension of this benefit would have to be considered in a budgetary context.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
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