Mary Butler
Question:638. Deputy Mary Butler asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will address matters raised in correspondence (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [51329/21]
View answerTuesday, 19 October 2021
Questions (638)
Written answers
Parents Leave and Benefit is currently available to all eligible parents of children born or adopted from 1st November 2019 and must be used within the first two years of the child’s life or adoption. This leave can be taken in either consecutive weeks or in one-week blocks in order to provide the family with full flexibility.
Provision was made in Budget 2022 to increase the number of weeks of Parents Leave and Benefit available to eligible parents from five weeks to seven weeks with effect from July 2021. The additional two weeks leave and benefit will apply to parents of children who are under age 2 years in July 2022 (or adoptive children who have been with their parents for less than two years at that point).
The extension of Parent’s Leave and Benefit requires legislation and changes to the Department's IT systems. The additional two weeks of Parents Leave and Benefit will not be available until legislation has been enacted, with plans to have this in place by the July commencement date. However, parents with an entitlement to the existing five weeks of Parents Leave and Benefit can avail of their current entitlement and can then apply for the additional weeks when they become available if their child is still under two at that time.
Calculation of any bonus entitlement is a contractual matter between the employer and employee and therefore the Department is not in a position to advise how periods on parents leave/benefit would affect an employee’s annual bonus.
I hope this clarifies the position for the Deputy.