Claire Kerrane (Roscommon-Galway, Sinn Fein)
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1199. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he will encourage public sector and Civil Service employers to top-up the salaries of employees who receive parental leave and benefit (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39307/21]

Roderic O'Gorman (Dublin West, Green Party)
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Under the Parent’s Leave and Benefit Act 2019, and subsequent amendments made under the Family Leave and Miscellaneous Provisions Act 2021, working parents are entitled to five weeks of paid parent's leave for each relevant parent, as defined in the legislation, to be taken in the first two years after the birth or adoptive placement of a child. The definition of relevant parent under the Act includes a parent of the child and the spouse, civil partner or cohabitant of a parent of the child.

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.  This is further supported through the provision of Parent’s Benefit, which is paid at an equivalent rate to maternity, paternity and adoptive benefits at €245 per week.

Parent’s Benefit is a matter for the Minister for Social Protection. Matters related to salary top-ups for public sector and civil service employees fall under the remit of the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform. 

My Department will monitor the uptake of family leaves to ensure that they meet the needs of working parents and families, including through public consultations such as the consultation on flexible working undertaken earlier this year.