15. Deputy Catherine Callaghan asked the Minister for Social Protection if he plans to increase the supports available to parents through the maternity benefit; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46368/26]

The Department for Children, Disability and Equality has policy and legal responsibility for family leaves, including maternity benefit, covering matters such as the duration of the leave. My Department has policy responsibility for the associated benefit, with a provision of over €301 million for 2026.

There have been significant improvements in entitlements for parents of working families in recent years.

An employed or self employed person may be eligible to Maternity Benefit for 26 paid weeks and 16 unpaid weeks. Maternity Benefit combined with Parent's Benefit and Paternity Benefit, provides up to 46 weeks of paid leave for a two-parent family within the first two years of a child's life. A New Baby Grant of €280 is paid in addition to the first month of Child Benefit.

The weekly rate of Maternity Benefit was increased to €299 per week in Budget 2026, an increase of €10 on the previous year.

Where appropriate, the rate of Maternity Benefit is compared to the Illness Benefit payment a person would be entitled to if they were on sick leave from work. This may include an increase for a Qualified Adult and Child Support Payment. The higher of the two amounts is paid to the customer.

Postponement of Maternity Leave and Benefit for up to 52 weeks was introduced in November 2024 to support women suffering from a serious health condition.

The Programme for Government commits to introducing Pay-Related Parent's Benefit and exploring other payments where a similar model could be applied. My Department will draw on the learnings from the Jobseeker's Pay-Related Benefit scheme introduced last year, to inform options for pay-related family leave schemes. To progress this commitment, I intend to issue a public consultation document on a pay-related approach to Parents' Benefit later this year, which will help inform decisions about other family benefits.