Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 28 July 2020
561. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the estimated cost of introducing six weeks of parental benefit which would be the same rate as maternity benefit but could be taken by either parent or shared between the two at the end of the period of maternity leave. [18223/20]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Minister for Justice and Equality has policy responsibility for parental leave. My Department has responsibility for the payment of parent’s benefit which is provided for in the Parent’s Leave and Benefit Act 2019.
Parent’s benefit is a payment made for two weeks per parent to employed and self-employed parents who are on parent’s leave and who satisfy certain pay related social insurance (PRSI) contribution conditions. In line with the EU Work Life Balance Directive, parent’s leave and benefit will incrementally increase up to 9 weeks leave by 2024. A provision of the Directive is that this leave is available to each parent and is non-transferrable.
The full year cost of providing parent's benefit to both parents for 1 week is €15.8m. The introduction of an additional 6 weeks parent’s leave and benefit would have to be split between each parent to ensure the leave remains in line with the EU Work Life Balance Directive. The total cost of 6 weeks, payable at a weekly rate of €245, would be an estimated €47.4m in a full year.
There would be further additional costs to the Exchequer as these estimates do not include the costs for staff substitution which would be a matter for the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform. Decisions around the extension of this benefit along the lines suggested by the Deputy would have to be considered in a budgetary context and would need to consider the impact it would have on employers.
I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
