Claire Kerrane (Roscommon-Galway, Sinn Fein)
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524. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the supports that are in place for workers with children who are required to isolate or stay at home due to Covid-19, in circumstances where the parent has to take time off work to care for the child and has to suffer a financial loss or take time from annual leave; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50206/22]

Roderic O'Gorman (Dublin West, Green Party)
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There have been significant advances in the provision of family leaves in recent years. Parental Leave allows parents to take unpaid leave from work to spend time looking after their children, such as in situations where a parent needs to take time off work because their child is required to isolate or stay at home due to Covid-19. A person can take up to 26 weeks’ parental leave for each eligible child before their 12th birthday. Normally a person is required to give their employer 6 weeks’ notice if they want to take Parental leave, but employers can be asked to waive this notice period.

Parents can also avail of their entitlement to Parent's Leave. Parent’s leave entitles each parent to 7 weeks’ leave during the first 2 years of a child’s life, or in the case of adoption, within 2 years of the placement of the child with the family. Parent’s Benefit of €250 per week is paid to eligible parents who satisfy certain PRSI conditions while on Parent’s Leave. As with Parental Leave, employers can be asked to waive the six-weeks' notice period required for Parent's Leave.

A person can also apply for force majeureleave, which is leave with pay for urgent family reasons owing to the injury or illness of an immediate relative.

On 21 April the Government gave its approval for the drafting of a Work Life Balance and Miscellaneous Provisions Bill. The Bill was approved on 20 September 2022 and will be introduced to the Houses of the Oireachtas tomorrow. The main purpose of the proposed legislation is to transpose elements of the EU Work Life Balance Directive and provide new rights to parents and carers in order to support a better work life balance.

Under the proposed legislation, parents and carers will see a right to request flexible working in line with Article 9 of the Directive and relative to this question, the introduction of five days leave per year for medical care purposes in line with Article 6 of the Directive. The Bill will also extend the current entitlement to breastfeeding/lactation breaks under the Maternity Protection Acts from six months to two years. The proposals will complement family leave and other entitlements already in place and provide additional flexibility to ensure that parents and carers can be supported to balance their working and family lives.