The Irish government has announced that it will extend its parent’s leave benefit allowance from seven weeks to nine weeks as of next month.
The extension is part of The Parent’s Leave and Benefit Act 2019 (Extension of Periods of Leave) Order 2024 and aims to improve work-life balance and gender equality for families and the overall workforce.
The act increases parent’s leave for children born or adopted after 1 August. The additional two weeks can also be taken by parents of children under the age of two, or placed in adoption for less than two years.
The nine weeks may be taken in a single nine-week period or in separate weekly increments and is not transferable between parents. It is paid by the Department of Social Protection at a rate of €274 per week for employees who made sufficient prior social contributions into the national Social Insurance Fund.
Parent’s leave was introduced by the Parent’s Leave and Benefit Act 2019, to boost other types of family leave already available in Ireland, such as maternity, paternity, adoption, unpaid parental leaves, and other family leaves. It is separate from parental leave, which is unpaid for 26 weeks, and can be taken for each eligible child before their 12th birthday.
The duration of parent’s leave was increased from two weeks to five weeks for each parent in March 2021 and from five weeks to seven weeks in July 2022.
An Irish government spokesperson said: “To qualify for parent’s benefit, people must currently be in insurable employment or self-employment and must have paid sufficient pay related social insurance (PRSI) contributions. If they have received maternity benefit, adoptive benefit, or paternity benefit for their child, they will automatically satisfy the PRSI contributions requirements for the parent’s benefit.”
