266. Deputy Micheál Carrigy asked the Minister for Education and Youth if eligible teaching staff are entitled to apply for a scheme (details supplied); if she can confirm that doing so will not impact on their maternity leave benefits; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [75079/26]

The terms and conditions of the Maternity leave scheme for teachers are contained in the department’s Circular Letter 0054/2019 (Chapter 2). The Maternity Leave Scheme is regulated by the Maternity Protection Act, 1994 as amended.

A teacher absent on Maternity Leave may not engage in any type of teaching or other paid employment. However, there is provision that a person in receipt of Maternity Benefit can engage in public representative work and therefore a teacher who is also a councillor can continue in a public representative role during the period they are in receipt of maternity benefit and maternity leave.

Under the Department of Social Protection regulations, Maternity Benefit may be terminated if a teacher engages in paid employment while on Maternity Leave. It is the Maternity Benefit Section of the Department of Social Protection that administers the provisions of the Maternity Benefit scheme and we would advise any teacher to engage with the Maternity Benefit Section of that Department of Social Protection to confirm that they are continuing in the councillor role during their Maternity Leave and provide any information that may be required by the Department of Social Protection to ensure their maternity benefit does not get stopped.