Niamh Smyth (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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1102. To ask the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if she plans to extend the two-year period for when parents can claim parents' benefit after their child is born; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [48668/25]

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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Significant improvements have been made in the entitlements to both paid and unpaid leaves in recent years, including by extending paid parent's leave for parents to allow them to spend more time with their child during their earliest years.

Since August 2024, the Parent's Leave and Benefit Act 2019 has increased the entitlement of paid leave to nine weeks for each relevant parent of a child, to be taken in the first two years after the birth or adoptive placement of a child. This brings Ireland in line with the EU Work-Life Balance Directive which required member states to provide nine weeks of Parent’s Leave and Benefit.

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.

First 5 is Ireland’s Whole-of-Government Strategy for babies, young children and their families. It has a pivotal focus on providing a broader range of options for parents to balance working and caring. The Strategy aims to support parents to be at home with their children for the whole of their first year. Research suggests that children benefit particularly from parental care in this period and the Strategy sets out this evidence in detail.

The First 5 Implementation Plan (2023-2025) sets out additional measures that will allow parents to spend the whole of their baby’s first year in the home through a combination of paid family leave schemes by 2028. The combined durations of Maternity, Paternity and Parent’s Leave and Benefit now equate to 46 weeks leave for a two-parent family.

Under the Parental Leave (Amendment) Act 2019, an employee who is a relevant parent in respect of a child under the age 12 is also 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’.

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

The Programme for Government sets out a commitment to examine the possible extension of parent's leave and benefit and additional flexibilities. Presently, the next National Strategy for Women and Girls is in development and will consider ways to support working families in balancing the competing demands of family and work.