Social welfare Ireland: Paid parental leave extended to seven weeks
Paid parental leave and benefits have been extended to seven weeks from today, meaning many parents will benefit with financial support from the state.
The extension applies to both mothers and fathers from July 1. The benefit is available for anyone who has a child under two years of age or who has adopted a child in the last two years.
Meanwhile, there has also been an increase in parents’ leave recipients since 2020, with 51,400 parents supported in 2021 which is compared to just 16,700 in 2020. Since the start of 2022, the total number of applications awarded reached over 28,000.
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There are also plans to further extend the scheme up to nine weeks. Speaking about the benefit, Social Protection Minister Heather Humphreys said that the first few weeks and months with a newborn child is “so important.”
She said: “Today’s measure will see the number of weeks of paid leave each parent can take increase from five to seven.
“I’m committed to working closely with my colleague, Minister Roderic O’Gorman, in delivering further increases in this support. Because by doing so, we will ensure that mothers and fathers who experience that special occasion of welcoming their child into the world, will know that their State supports them.”
Minister O’Gorman said: “Welcoming a child into the world is one of the most important moments in a parent’s life. We want to ensure that new parents are supported to spend quality time with their babies in those first weeks and months, and be there to share special bonding moments.
“Since the formation of this Government, we have increased Parent’s Leave and Benefit from two weeks to seven weeks, enabling tens of thousands of new parents to take time away from work knowing that they are financially supported,” he added.
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Parent’s Benefit is paid at a rate of €250 a week, which is the same rate as Maternity, Paternity and Adoptive Benefit. The seven weeks payment would see a total of €1,750 being paid per parent.
Parent’s leave is available to both employees and people who are self-employed, while Parent’s Benefit is paid while you are on parent’s leave from work if you have enough social insurance (PRSI) contributions.
If you are self-employed you should apply directly to the Department of Social Protection (DSP) for Parent’s Benefit at least 6 weeks before you intend to take parent’s leave.
From July 2022:
Parent’s leave increased from 5 weeks to 7 weeks for children born or adopted after 1 July 2022
You can claim the additional 2 weeks’ parent’s leave if your child is under the age of 2 on 1 July 2022 or your adopted child has been placed with your family less than 2 years on 1 July 2022
You must complete the extra leave on or before your child’s second birthday or within 2 years of the adoption placement
