Claire Kerrane (Roscommon-Galway, Sinn Fein)
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344. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he will consider extending the full ten weeks parent’s leave and benefit to lone parents who are parenting alone; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34080/21]

Roderic O'Gorman (Dublin West, Green Party)
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Under the Parent’s Leave and Benefit Act 2019 each parent of a child is entitled to two weeks of paid Parent’s Leave and the Family Leave Act 2021 increased this entitlement to 5 weeks for each parent. 

The intention of Parent's Leave is to enable parents to spend time with their child in the earliest years and is deliberately non-transferrable between parents to ensure that both parents are encouraged and supported in taking time out from work to spend time with their child.  

The entitlement under the Acts is for each parent in their own right, regardless of whether they are in a relationship or live together. The Acts were drafted in such a way as to comprehend the broad complexion of family life and allows for an entitlement for the spouse, civil partner or cohabitant of the parent.  It is important to note that the entitlement to Parent’s Leave is for the individual parent.  It is not an allocation per family.  

Under Article 5 of Directive (EU) 2019/1158, commonly known as the Work-Life Balance Directive, Member States must provide for each worker to have an individual right to parental leave, two months of which cannot be transferred. Parent’s Leave and Benefit was introduced with a view to transposition of the Directive.