Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 21 November 2023
344. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Social Protection if the extension of parental benefit from seven to nine weeks from August 2024, will give the extra two weeks also to children born up to two years before the commencement date. [51026/23]
View answerCurrently, seven weeks Parent's Leave and Benefit is available to all eligible parents of children born or adopted from 1 November 2019. The leave and benefit must be availed of within the first two years of the child’s life or adoption.
In Budget 2024, the Government provided for the number of weeks of Parent's Leave and Benefit available to eligible parents to be increased from seven weeks to nine weeks for each parent from August 2024.
My colleague the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth has policy and legal responsibility for Parent's Leave. I have responsibility for Parent's Benefit and the associated changes.
The additional two weeks leave and benefit will apply to parents of children who are under age two in August 2024 or, in the case of adoption, where less than two years have passed since the child's placement.
Parents of children who turn two during the month of August 2024, or adoptive children who have been with their parents for less than two years at that point, are entitled to the additional two weeks Parent’s Benefit. Applications for the additional two weeks in these cases must be made before their child’s second birthday, or before the second anniversary of the child's adoption.
I trust this clarifies the position for the Deputy
