Holly Cairns (Cork South West, Social Democrats)
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373. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection her views on raising maternity benefit to €350 weekly over the lifetime of the Government; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [27514/21]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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Maternity Benefit is paid at a weekly flat rate of €245 for 26 weeks to employed and self-employed women who satisfy certain pay related social insurance (PRSI) contribution and other conditions. The rate of Maternity Benefit is in line with the rates of Paternity Benefit, Adoptive Benefit and Parent’s Benefit.

In 2020, the total cost of maternity benefit was €258 million, which was paid in respect of 40,275 claims. The estimated annual cost of increasing Maternity Benefit to a weekly flat rate of €350 is €115 million.

Any decisions in relation to the rate of this and other benefits would have to be considered in a budgetary context.

I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.