Vol. 396 No. 3
218 Mr. Farrelly asked the Minister for Education if a person (details supplied) in County Meath who is a primary school teacher is entitled to holidays after maternity leave, having regard to the fact that she is in full-time employment; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
Under the scheme of maternity leave for teachers permanent national teachers are entitled to 14 consecutive weeks' paid maternity leave.
The scheme also provides that a teacher may take up to four consecutive weeks additional unpaid maternity leave immediately after her paid maternity leave. As an alternative to this the scheme allows a teacher the option of taking extended unpaid maternity leave up to the end of the school year in which the birth occurs (up to 31 August).
In the case of the teacher referred to by the Deputy her period of paid maternity leave expired on 25 February 1990. After that date the teacher is required to opt either for unpaid maternity leave or resume her teaching duties.
