Kathleen Funchion (Carlow-Kilkenny, Sinn Fein)
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915. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the estimated cost of introducing six weeks of parental benefit which would be the same rate as maternity benefit but which could be taken by either parent or shared between the two at the end of the period of maternity leave. [31664/21]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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The Parent’s Leave and Benefit Act 2019 introduced two weeks of paid parents leave for each parent to be taken in the first year after the birth or adoptive placement of a child. Following the commencement of the Family Leave and Miscellaneous Provisions Act 2021, an additional three weeks of paid parents leave is available to each parent, and the period in which the leave can be taken is extended to the first two years after the birth or adoptive placement of a child.

Parent’s Benefit is paid at €245 per week - the same rate as Maternity, Paternity and Adoptive benefits. Parent's Benefit is available to provide care for the child and can be taken in individual periods of a week over a period of 24 months. This allows working parents to spend more time with their children during these important and formative years.

There is a provision of €43.1m for Parent's Benefit in 2021. The estimated annual cost of increasing Parent’s Benefit to six weeks based on the estimated number of recipients in 2021 is €7.3m.

I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.