2714. Deputy John Paul O'Shea asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if she will consider changing the current parent leave entitlement for parents who have multiple births or have adopted more than one child at the same time; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [57621/26]

Significant improvements have been made in the entitlements to both paid and unpaid leaves in recent years, including by extending paid parent's leave for parents to allow them to spend more time with their babies during their earliest years.

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 after the return to work, which have been extended to two years following the birth of the child, through the Work Life Balance and Miscellaneous Provisions Act 2023. Furthermore, since 20 November 2024, employees can postpone their maternity leave if they require ongoing treatment for a serious health condition as set out in the Maternity Protection, Employment Equality and Preservation of Certain Records Act 2024.

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.

While the Parent's Leave and Benefit Act 2019 limits parent's leave to a single birth, since August 2024 the entitlement is nine weeks of paid 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.

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

S.7(3) of the Parental Leave Acts also provides that the amount of parental leave in the case of more than one child is limited in a particular year, unless the children are of a multiple birth in which case this limit does not apply.

The Work Life Balance and Miscellaneous Provisions Act 2023 was enacted on 4 April 2023, and introduces important entitlements for workers, including leave for medical care purposes for parents of children under 12, and the right to request flexible working for parents and carers. It transposes the Work-Life Balance Directive which specifically prevents the transfer of paid leave between parents in the interests of gender equality and of encouraging fathers as well as mothers to take such leave. Otherwise, there is a risk that only mothers would take the leave, potentially creating labour market disadvantages for them and that fathers would not be encouraged to take a greater share of their caring responsibilities.

A key priority in First 5, the whole of Government Strategy for babies, young children and their families (2019-2028) is to support parents to look after their babies at home for the whole of their first year given the benefits of parental care in that first year for children’s outcomes.

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

The Programme for Government - Securing Ireland's Future commits to examining the extension of Parent's Leave and Benefit and additional flexibilities. The new National Strategy for Women and Girls 2025-2030 was published on the 18th of November 2025. The first Action Plan under the new Strategy is currently being developed and will include actions to support working families in balancing the competing demands of family and work. The first Action Plan is due to be published in the coming months. Any further changes to supports and family leave entitlements will be considered within this context.