Grace Boland (Dublin Fingal West, Fine Gael)
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2365. To ask the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality for an update on the establishment of maternity, paternity and adoptive leave policies for all elected representatives; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [42041/25]

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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There have been significant improvements in the entitlements to paid and unpaid leaves for working families in recent years in line with the Government's commitments in the Programme for Government around supporting working parents, including those in elected positions.

As the Deputy will be aware, the Local Government (Maternity Protection and Other Measures for members of Local Authorities) Bill 2022 introduced maternity leave for councillors, and provides a choice to elected members to appoint an individual as a temporary substitute in their place while on maternity leave. In 2023, an additional administrative support allowance was introduced for councillors who avail of maternity leave.

The Maternity Protection, Employment Equality and Preservation of Certain Records Bill 2024 entitles members of the Houses of the Oireachtas who give birth to take 26 weeks maternity leave.

The Programme for Government sets out a commitment to establish maternity, paternity and adoptive leave policies for all elected representatives. As laid out above, legislation and administrative arrangements to provide for maternity leave for councillors and Oireachtas members are now in place, and my officials will be working with colleagues in the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage to provide for elected representatives in local and national politics to avail of other family leaves.