Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 27 November 2018
291. Deputy Anne Rabbitte asked the Minister for Justice and Equality if, further to his press release issued on 19 November 2018, it is his plan to increase both parents' parental benefit entitlement to seven weeks; and if he plans to provide seven weeks for parents to share. [48946/18]
View answerAs the Deputy will be aware, as part of Budget 2019, the Government announced the introduction of a new paid parental leave scheme which will commence in late 2019. This new scheme will initially provide for two weeks of paid, non-transferable leave per parent, with a view to expanding the scheme and increasing the number of weeks of paid leave for both parents in future years.
This new scheme delivers on the commitment in the Programme for Partnership Government to increase paid parental leave during the first year of a child’s life, as research shows that parental care is of particular importance and benefit in the first twelve months.
The new scheme is the key recommendation of the report of an interdepartmental committee which was established to develop recommendations as to how the relevant Programme for Partnership Government commitments could be best implemented.
