Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 2 April 2019
514. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the estimated full-year cost of increasing maternity benefit from 26 weeks to 30 and 34 weeks, respectively, for those who have had multiple births; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14735/19]
View answerThe Department of Justice and Equality has policy responsibility for maternity leave which is provided for in the 1994 and 2004 Maternity Acts. Any decision to extend the duration of maternity leave, including that for families with multiple births, would be the responsibility of my colleague, the Minister for Justice and Equality. My Department has responsibility for the payment of maternity benefit which is provided for in the Social Welfare Consolidation Act 2005 (as amended).
There is a provision of €256m for maternity benefit for 2019. The most recent CSO data from 2016 indicates that there were 1,215 instances of multiple births in Ireland, representing 1.9% of all births. Based on an apportionment of 1.9% of maternity benefit recipients, the cost of extending the period of this benefit from 26 weeks to 30 or 34 weeks could cost some €724,000 and €1,447,000 respectively. There would also be additional costs for employers including substitution and public sector pay costs which would be a matter for my colleague, the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform. Decisions around the extension of this benefit would have to be considered in a budgetary context.
As the Deputy will be aware, I have recently announced the introduction of a new paid parental benefit for parents which will support parents to spend additional time with their babies and provide more flexibility in managing a work-life balance. This new benefit will be available to parents from late 2019 and will provide for 2 weeks' paid leave to each parent of a child aged under 1 year on parental leave from work. These 2 weeks are additional to that already available under maternity benefit and paternity benefit.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
