Richard Bruton (Dublin Bay North, Fine Gael)
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397. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth his plans, to change the arrangements for maternity leave, paternity leave and parental leave; if any of these anticipated changes will take place during 2025; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37894/24]

Roderic O'Gorman (Dublin West, Green Party)
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In terms of changes to Maternity leave, I received Government approval in July for the drafting of a Bill to allow mothers who require treatment for a very serious illness to postpone their maternity leave for a period of time. The proposed legislation will also introduce, for the first time, a form of maternity leave for members of the Oireachtas.

The text of the bill is currently being finalised, and I intend to publish it very shortly and bring it through the Houses of the Oireachtas in the coming weeks. It is my intention that this legislation be in place as soon as possible in order to allow seriously ill mothers to postpone their maternity leave, focus on their treatment, and retain that precious time with their baby.

There have been significant developments in the entitlements to family leaves for working families in recent years. The Government committed in the Programme for Government to supporting parents, including by extending paid leave for parents to allow them to spend more time with their baby during the first year.

Under the Parent’s Leave and Benefit Act 2019, working parents are now entitled to nine weeks of paid parent's leave for each relevant parent, to be taken in the first two years after the birth or adoptive placement of a child. Parent's Leave is an individual separate entitlement and is non-transferable between parents.

Parental leave entitlements were also extended in 2019 with an increase of leave from 18 weeks to 26 weeks, and the extension of the time period in which the leave can be taken from when the child attains the age of 8 years to when the child attains the age of 12 years.

The Work Life Balance and Miscellaneous Provisions Act 2023 was enacted on 4 April 2023, and introduces important entitlements for workers, including leave for medical care purposes for parents of children under 12, and the right to request flexible working for parents and carers.

Family leave provisions are kept under review to ensure that they are effective and respond to the needs of families. Given the recent expansions and additions to family leaves and workplace supports in the last number of years, there are no further plans to amend paternity or parental leave at this time.