Written Answers. - Maternity Leave.
Frances Fitzgerald
Question:
138
Ms Fitzgerald
asked the
Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform
the current cost of maternity leave provision; the numbers availing of this in the years 1995 to 2000; the cost of extending maternity leave by four, six and ten weeks; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[20526/00]
My Department has responsibility for the Maternity Protection Act, 1994.
The maternity benefit scheme is administered by the Department of Social, Community and Family Affairs. Maternity benefit is payable to employed and self–employed women who satisfy certain PRSI contribution conditions on their own insurance record. PRSI contributions at class A, E, H and S count for maternity benefit purposes.
Civil and public servants, recruited prior to April 1995, do not pay full PRSI contributions, and, therefore, do not qualify for maternity benefit. This category of employee would receive payment during maternity leave from their employer.
In the private sector, some employers choose to pay their employees their full salary, and to recoup the maternity benefit portion directly from the employee.
The current cost of maternity leave provision and the cost of extending maternity leave would include the maternity benefit scheme, payments made by the public sector to employees who do not qualify for maternity benefit, and any extra contractual payments made by the private and public sector to employees in receipt of maternity benefit. Similarly, the number of employees availing of maternity leave would include both those who can avail of the maternity benefit scheme, and those who are paid by other means. It is not possible to quantify the extra costs to private sector employers, and there are no statistics available on costs across the entire public service. Figures in relation to the maternity benefit scheme are as follows:
The cost of the maternity benefit scheme in the years 1995-2000: 1995 £27,273,000; 1996 £29,839,000; 1997 £34,058,000; 1998 £38,208,000; 1999 £41,530,000; 2000 £44,300,000 projected cost for the full year.
The number of maternity benefit claims awarded during the years 1995-2000 is as follows: 1995 – 15,664; 1996 – 17,628; 1997 – 19,796; 1998 – 22,384; 1999 – 23,851; 2000 – 19,004, the actual figure up to 23 September 2000.
The estimated cost of extending the maternity benefit scheme by four weeks, six weeks and ten weeks is as follows: cost of paying four extra weeks maternity benefit £12.66 million; cost of paying six extra weeks maternity benefit £18.99 million; cost of paying ten extra weeks maternity benefit £31.46 million
The Government's An Action Programme for the Millennium prioritises the "review and improvement of maternity protection legislation" as a key component in achieving true equality for women. In line with this, the Programme for Prosperity and Fairness commits my Department to set up a working group to review the maternity protection legislation. The working group comprises the social partners, relevant Government Departments and agencies. The group first met on 14 April 2000 and eight meetings have been held to date. The next meeting is scheduled for 13 October and it is hoped to finalise the work of the group shortly after that date.
The group has considered a variety of issues in the course of its deliberations to date, including the question of an increase in the period of maternity leave.
Question No. 139 taken with Question No. 25.
Question No. 140 taken with Question No. 14
Question No. 141 taken with Question No. 22
Question No. 142 taken with Question No. 126.
