Francis Noel Duffy (Dublin South West, Green Party)
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600. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he will consider increasing maternity, paternity and parental leave for parents of multiple births; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29117/24]

Roderic O'Gorman (Dublin West, Green Party)
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There have been significant improvements in the duration of family leaves for working families in recent years in line with the Government's commitment in the Programme for Government to supporting parents, including by extending paid leave for parents to allow them to spend more time with their baby during the first year.

The Maternity Protection Act 1994 and the Maternity Protection (Amendment) Act 2004 provide a pregnant employee with 26 weeks of paid maternity leave and an additional 16 weeks of unpaid leave, alongside other entitlements such as breastfeeding breaks which have been extended to two years following the birth of the child through the Work Life Balance and Miscellaneous Provisions Act 2023.

While the Maternity Protection Acts 1994-2004 do not explicitly refer to multiple births, the entitlement arises from the pregnancy and confinement, which are treated as a single event, regardless of the number of children arising. This applies also to the unpaid leave.

The Paternity Leave and Benefit Act 2016 provides the relevant parent (other than the mother of the child) with 2 weeks paid paternity leave. S.6(5) of the Act limits this entitlement in the case of multiple births to a single period of leave.

Under the Parent’s Leave and Benefit Act 2019, working parents are entitled to seven weeks of paid parent's leave for each relevant parent for each child, to be taken in the first two years after the birth or adoptive placement of a child. While the Parent’s Leave and Benefit Act 2019 limits the entitlement in the case of multiple births to that of a single birth at s.5(5), the duration of the leave is increasing to 9 weeks in respect of each child from 1 August 2024.

Similarly, the Parental Leave (Amendment) Act 2019 has increased the entitlement to leave to 26 weeks that can be taken by an employee who is a relevant parent. The upper age limit of the eligible child has been increased to the age of 12 or of 16, where the child has a disability or long-term illness which allows a parent more time in which to avail of the extended leave entitlement. This leave entitlement is for each eligible child.

Family leave provisions are kept under review to ensure that they are effective and respond to the needs of families. Family leave entitlements are also mindful of the impact of the leaves on workplaces.