Michael Healy-Rae (Kerry, Independent)
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447. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills her plans to alter how special needs assistants can use their parental leave due to difficulties experienced by those educators (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [51396/25]

Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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The Parental Leave Scheme for SNAs is outlined in Circular 0027/2013 and Information Note TC/IN 0011/2023 and is regulated by the Parental Leave Act 1998, as amended.

Under the terms of the Parental Leave Act 1998, as amended, an employee who is a relevant parent in respect of a child is entitled to a maximum of 26 weeks Parental Leave in respect of each child up to the age of 16 years. The purpose of Parental Leave is to allow a parent a period of unpaid leave to care for their child.

The act provides that this leave may be taken in a continuous period consisting of not less than 6 weeks and not exceeding 26 weeks.

The act provides that with the agreement of the employer or representatives of the employer and other employers and the employee or representatives of the employee and other employees, the leave can be taken in a number of shorter periods.

Currently, as agreed in accordance with the terms of the legislation, an SNA may avail of Parental Leave in blocks of at least one week up to the maximum of 26 weeks. Each period of Parental Leave must be a minimum duration of 7 consecutive days including weekends, school closures and days on which an SNA is not timetabled for attendance occurring within that period.

In certain circumstances an SNA may avail of Parental Leave in the form of individual days where a child has particular medical problems that require the attendance of a parent with the child at a hospital, clinic or therapeutic appointment on a regular basis. Please note that under the terms of the Parental Leave Scheme, these are the only circumstances that allow an employer to grant a special pattern of Parental Leave.

The SNA Industrial Relations Forum, provides a forum for claims and proposals relating to the salary and other terms and conditions of service for SNAs which is made up of Fórsa representatives, along with School Management Bodies representatives and the Department of Education and Youth. The current terms and conditions of the Parental Leave Scheme for SNAs exists by virtue of a collective agreement at the SNA IR Forum.

Fórsa have submitted a claim on behalf of SNA’s to amend the pattern of Parental Leave and the Department is currently engaged with Fórsa and the School Management Bodies in relation to this claim.