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THE GOVERNMENT WILL not oppose a Bill by the Social Democrats which seeks to extend unpaid parental leave to six months.
Under current rules, parents are entitled to 18 weeks unpaid leave. However, the Parental Leave (Amendment) Bill 2017 seeks to extend it to 26 weeks.
Introducing the Bill to the Dáil last April, TD Róisín Shortall said the six month entitlement would also apply to those parents who have already exhausted their existing leave entitlement once they have qualifying children.
In effect, such parents would receive an additional eight weeks per child.
She said the change would be “good for children; good for parents and good for employers”.
Shortall said Ireland falls well behind other countries in terms of parental leave, both paid and unpaid.
“Parental leave is paid in a majority of other European Union countries and only six EU countries, apart from Ireland, do not allow for income replacement when taking parental leave,” she claimed, highlighting a recent European Commission staff working paper on this issue which finds the average duration of parental leave among member states is 86.9 weeks.
“The Bill would begin the process of bringing Ireland closer to European norms,” she said.
Under the current rules, the 18 weeks per child may be taken in one continuous period or in two separate blocks of a minimum of six weeks. There must be a gap of at least 10 weeks between the two periods of parental leave.
However, if your employer agrees you can separate your leave into periods of days or even hours. Both parents have an equal separate entitlement to parental leave.
A government spokesperson confirmed this afternoon that the Bill will go unopposed, but added that there are a number of “reservations” about some aspects of the Bill.
He concluded by stating that the government is undertaking its own body of the work on the issue.
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Great idea, makes perfectly good sense. Good for parents and children to get some family time together away from the work regime. Shame only a small percentage of people will actually benefit from this. Most people would be shunned by employers and possibly even co workers at the thought of it. Work life balance doesn’t exist in this country. Shameful!
@Psyarron: I guess you have never run a small business (the backbone of this country). How would you suggest we deal with staff taking 6 months off? Don’t tell me maternity cover contract….but how do I fund the extra pay for training the new staff member etc etc?
@Mary Murphy: Are you not obligated as an employer to have measures in place for new-mothers (maternity cover)? What great obstacle would there in replicating the same procedures for male staff?
Im not being glib, I sincerely dont know so Im asking you
@Ciaran Henry: I have not yet had a maternity leave on my staff…I have deliberately chosen staff so I avoid that situation. It is sad that I have to do this but unfortunately it is the only way I can run my companies. However with longer leave the chances are now one of my employees will invoke paternity leave for a few months. Covering a few extra weeks is not a problem but a longer period causes strains
@Ciaran Henry: you are being exactly glib
@Mary Murphy: are you saying that you avoid hiring staff that do not have kids or are unlikely to have kids? Are you saying you discriminate against mothers or potential mothers? I wish I knew what your business was so I could avoid it like the plague.
@Maria Hickey-Fagan: in short yes….If I didn’t I wouldn’t have a business for you to avoid. Don’t blame me blame the law that forces me to discriminate in order to keep the other employees in a job.
@Mary Murphy: the only person forcing you to discriminate is you. You’re an absolute disgrace.
@Maria Hickey-Fagan: An absolute disgrace who keeps 27 people in employment. Would you rather I was a disgrace or let 27 people lose their jobs?
26 weeks is nothing. 1 year should be allowed on 50% salary
@Rear Admiral: In an ideal world only those who want to work would work and no doubt in a meaningful enjoyable job. Meanwhile back on planet Earth we need somebody to do the 54it jobs and we need taxes collected to pay for benefits. So in this case how would you suggest we pay for the maternity benefits you suggest?
@Mary Murphy:
National Insurance 50% and Employer 50%.
Introduce also Employer Child Care benefits for age 1+
@Rear Admiral: great economic plan there…..put every employer out of business
@Mary Murphy: so the like of google and facebook cant afford it? wise up
This is great news. Currently lucky enough to be able to take one day per week off but my parental leave is due to run out next January. This will give me an extra almost two years (two kids). That one day is priceless. It’s the one day I can do the school run and all the other stuff I miss out on when I’m working. It’s good for the kids also not to mention it gives hubby a break too. A step in the right direction for families.
Great if you can afford it.
Good movement in the right direction. Before the whataboutery starts, remember it’s not easy for a “smaller” party to bring in radical legislation with the Conservatives in government. It’s Social Democrat policy to be on par with the best European countries for parents leave, so expect them to keep pushing for that.
@Oisín O’Connor: News just in: we have a socialist government- don’t worry, this will sail through. It’s really easy to spend other people’s money and our Oireactas is beginning to enjoy that privilege on a weekly basis these days. Sure we will just keep borrowing from Angela and maybe do 20 hours a week till they cop on to us.
Great idea … Wait a minute, babies cost money right?!
But childcare is free?
@Peter King: maybe some couples would like the option of the mother returning to work and the father caring from the child for the first six months (excluding the mandatory six week she takes)
That would give my kids 80 more days at home in the next 2 years, still know where near the childhood I got at home. Sign of the the times. Sad
Ah bless if only people other than (politicians) could afford 6 months unpaid leave
Hey thejournal – here’s some huge news that you missed. The launch of the Heavy Falcon and the landing of it side boosters!!!
It was stunning and the ramifications are huge……………..
GOOGLE IT !!
26 weeks per parent per child…great if you can afford it.
@Sorcha Ní Shúilleabháin: they don’t both have to take the leave, this give fathers the chance to be primary care giver and the mother can return to work, or vice versa, it opens up other options that parents can utilise to best benefit their family.
Great news….. for the 6 families in the country that could afford to actually do it.
Jeepers, Richie Bruton better start dishing out free contraception to teachers…no doubt he must have been biting his lip as that idea was being mooted.! Ah! Wait! He will have a piece of legislation proposed to get around it! Maybe get the teachers to mate with non teachers- at least halves the headache for him!
Why do nurses and teachers get to take parental leave up to the child’s age of 13 while the rest of us mere mortals can only get it till they are 8. Do teachers and nurses not have enough time off with their kids.
@fitzz30: hear hear!! Probably to do with the number of months teachers actually work with summer off, mid terms etc. Gotta maximise the time off!
That’s nice of them.
Good for parents.
Childless people should be entitled to an automatic right to take a year off to study on 2 occasions in their career if they wish.
Discrimination against childless people is unfair.
@mursim: Perhaps we could get 1 month to balance out? May not be fully fair that those without children dont get the same treatment but we should also be practical here
needs to be extended til the child is 18 or finished school. Cut off too short at 8 years of age. many families cant afford to take the 6 months unpaid in the space of 8 years.
I have one day a week parental leave which is great. My husband also has one day as well. Which cuts down on childcare costs. I also think that mother’s should also be entitled to full maternity pay from their employers while on maternity leave. At the moment you have to live on a quarter of your wages from the Government Which is grossly unfair after 18 yrs + of paying PRSI.
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