Rory Hearne (Dublin North-West, Social Democrats)
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719. To ask the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if she is giving consideration to extending the length and scope of parental leave; if she will respond to matters raised in a correspondence (details supplied) and set out current rules; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37765/25]

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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There have been significant developments in the entitlements to family leaves for working families in recent years.

Under the Parental Leave (Amendment) Act 2019, an employee who is a relevant parent in respect of a child under the age 12 is entitled to 26 weeks’ unpaid parental leave for each child. Where a child has a disability or long-term illness, the entitlement can continue until the child is 16. A relevant parent is a parent, an adoptive parent, or a person acting in ‘loco parentis’.

The Parental Leave (Amendment) Act 2019 also raised the maximum age limit of the eligible child for which parental leave can be taken from 8 years to 12 years. There are no current plans to raise the age limit further. Both parents have an equal, separate entitlement to parental leave.

Where both parents work for the same employer and the employer agrees, one parent can transfer 14 weeks of their parental leave entitlement to the other parent.

It should be noted that the legislation only sets out the minimum entitlement to parental leave. Depending on an individual’s contract of employment, they may have more extensive rights to parental leave, as employers have the option to offer more than the entitlement set out in the legislation.

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

Family leave provisions are kept under review to ensure that they are effective and respond to the needs of families. Family leave entitlements are also mindful of the impact of the leaves on workplaces.

Considering the recent significant increase in family leave entitlements through the Work Life Balance and Miscellaneous Provisions Act 2023, the Government has no plans to make further amendments to parental leave entitlements.