895. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation if his attention has been drawn to concerns related to the fact that unpaid maternity leave does not count towards pensionable service in the public sector; if this is under review within his Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [60138/26]

896. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation his views on whether it is fair and equitable that unpaid maternity leave does not count towards pensionable service in the public sector; if this is under review within his Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [60147/26]

897. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation if his Department has carried out any international comparison analysis in relation to the fact that unpaid maternity leave does not count towards pensionable service in the public sector; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [60154/26]

I propose to take Questions Nos. 895, 896 and 897 together.

In public service pension schemes, pension benefits accrue by reference to reckonable service or, in the case of the Single Public Service Pension Scheme, referable amounts.

Periods of paid leave, including paid maternity leave, are reckonable and count towards the accrual of pension benefits under the rules of the relevant public service pension scheme.

Periods of unpaid leave in the public service are not reckonable and, as such, unpaid maternity leave does not give rise to pension accrual in public service pension schemes.

Public service employers typically provide 26 weeks' paid maternity leave together with the option to avail of a further 16 weeks' unpaid maternity leave, in accordance with the Maternity Protection Act 1994 and the Maternity Protection (Amendment) Act 2004.

For the duration of both paid and unpaid maternity leave, employees remain members of their scheme and continue to be covered by its provisions, including eligibility for death-in-service benefits where applicable.

Any resulting shortfall in pension accrual may, where applicable, be addressed through the relevant purchase arrangements available under the member's pension scheme.

My Department has not undertaken an international comparison of the treatment of unpaid maternity leave for pension purposes. There are currently no plans to alter the existing arrangements.