The period for paid parental leave has been increased from two weeks to five weeks, with Parent’s Benefit also to be paid for an extra three weeks to those who qualify. 

The period during which this leave can be taken is also extended from 12 to 24 months, so it can be taken up to a child's second birthday or within two years following adoption. 

Parental leave is non-transferable between parents, so encouraging both parents to take time out from work to spend time with their child.

The additional three weeks of Parent’s Leave and Parent’s Benefit is available to employees and the self-employed in respect of children born or adopted after 1 November 2019. Parent’s Benefit will be paid at the same rate as maternity, paternity and adoptive benefits, which is €245 per week.

Children’s minister Roderic O’Gorman said: ““The Family Leave Act modernises the law in relation to both adoptive leave and parent’s leave, reflecting the diversity of Irish families in 2021, and acknowledges that for many Irish families both parents are working. Importantly, it also encourages the sharing of parental responsibilities equally between couples.”

In Association with

The Act provides working parents with an entitlement to an additional three weeks of paid Parent’s Leave for each parent – bringing the total to five weeks paid leave, per parent. The five weeks of leave need not be taken together, but can be split up and taken separately in any combination.

The extension to Parent’s Leave and Benefit Act 2019 follows a number of recent legislative changes. These include the extension of unpaid Parental Leave to 26 weeks for a child under 12 years in 2020, the introduction of two week’s Parent’s Leave and Benefit in 2019, and the introduction of two weeks’ Paternity Leave in 2016.