Claire Kerrane (Roscommon-Galway, Sinn Fein)
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479. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if consideration has been given to providing 39 weeks of maternity benefit to persons living in Northern Ireland and working in the State, in consideration of the provision made for maternity allowance in the North and in recognition of cross-Border provisions; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4076/23]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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Maternity Benefit is a payment made to women who are on Maternity Leave from work or who are self-employed and who satisfy certain PRSI contribution conditions.

In cross-border situations, where a person lives in Northern Ireland and works here, or vice versa, it is  the State of employment that is responsible for maternity benefits.  So, in the situation to which the Deputy refers, where the person works here, they will qualify for Maternity Benefit paid by my Department, where they meet all of the usual qualifying conditions.

Maternity Benefit is paid for 26 weeks at a rate of €262 per week.  In 2023, it is estimated that my Department will spend approximately €273 million on the scheme.

Any proposal to extend the number of weeks for which Maternity Benefit is payable could only be considered in a Budgetary context.

I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.