- €2.6 million paid out by Department of Social Protection following decision to extend support from two weeks to five weeks
- Quickest and easiest way to apply is via MyWelfare.ie
Monday, 10th May, 2021
Minister for Social Protection, Heather Humphreys, T.D., has today announced that over 7,500 parents have availed of the new Parent’s Benefit.
On April 1st, Parent’s Leave was extended from two weeks to five weeks as per a commitment in the Programme for Government.
Since the changes came into effect, the Department of Social Protection has awarded Parent’s Benefit to some 7,724 parents at a cost of over €2.6 million.
In comparison, just 702 parents availed of Parent’s Benefit in April 2020, when the support was paid at two weeks.
Parent’s Benefit is paid at €245 per week - the same rate as Maternity, Paternity and Adoptive benefits.
Since the start of this year, some 12,581 applications for Parent’s Benefit have been awarded compared to 15,729 for the whole of 2020.
Commenting today, Minister Humphreys said:
“The figures I am publishing today show that thousands of families are benefitting from the new Parents Benefit.
“They also demonstrate that so many parents are availing of the opportunity to spend a longer period of quality time with their new born child.
“The increase in Parent’s Leave from two weeks to five weeks follows on from legislation steered through the Oireachtas by my colleague, the Minister for Children, Roderic O’Gorman.
“I am very conscious of the joy and excitement that a birth brings to a family. I know too that the early months in a child’s life are such an important time in terms of developing that precious bond with your parents.
“Therefore, I’m delighted to see such large numbers of parents availing of the additional three weeks of Parent’s Benefit and I urge all eligible parents to apply for this important support via MyWelfare.
“I am also reminding parents that this extension applies retrospectively meaning every parent who has already availed of the 2 weeks leave will be able to take an extra 3 weeks paid leave.”
As part of Budget 2021, Parent’s Leave was increased from 2 weeks to 5 weeks per parent in respect of children born on or after 1st November 2019.
The increase from two weeks to five weeks was provided for under the Family Leave and Miscellaneous Provisions Act 2021.
The period in which the leave can be taken has been extended to the first two years after the birth or adoptive placement of a child.
This allows working parents to spend more time with their new-born children during these important and formative years.
The Act also extends Adoptive Leave and Benefit to male same sex couples, fulfilling another commitment in the Programme for Government.
In addition, adoptive parents now have greater flexibility to decide which parent will avail of Adoptive Leave and Benefit, with Paternity Leave and Paternity Benefit being available to the parent who is not availing of Adoptive Leave.
The quickest and easiest way to apply for Parent’s Benefit is online at www.MyWelfare.ie. This is a platform which is safe, secure and accessible anytime, anywhere and on all devices.
ENDS
Press Office Contact Details
E: press.office@welfare.ie
T: 01 704 3082
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Note to Picture desks
Caption for photographs attached: Pictured are Minister for Social Protection Heather Humphreys and Minister for Children Roderic O’Gorman at the announcement of the extension to Parent’s Leave and Parent’s Benefit.
Please credit: Shane O’Neill, Coalesce
Notes to the Editor:
Expenditure on Parent’s Benefit in 2020 and 2021 to date
2020 | €6,675,172 |
2021 to end April | €5,651,794 |
Total 2020 & 2021 | €12,326,966 |
Number of Parents availing of Parent’s Benefit
2020 | 15,729 |
To end April 2021 | 12,581 |
Extension of Parent’s Leave and Parent’s Benefit
The Parent’s Leave and Benefit Act 2019 introduced two weeks of paid Parents' Leave for each parent to be taken in the first year after the birth or adoptive placement of a child.
Following the commencement of the Family Leave and Miscellaneous Provisions Act 2021, an additional three weeks of paid Parents' Leave is available to each parent, and the period in which the leave can be taken is extended to the first two years after the birth or adoptive placement of a child.
The extension to Parent’s Leave and Benefit Act 2019 follows a number of recent legislative reforms aimed at enabling working parents to spend more time with their children. 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.
Adoptive Leave
The Adoptive Leave Act 1995 provides for an entitlement to 24 weeks leave for an employed adoptive mother or sole adopting father. The 24 weeks start from the date the child is placed in the adopting parent’s care. An adoptive benefit is available to qualified parents. An additional 16 weeks unpaid adoptive leave may also be taken.
The Family Leave and Miscellaneous Provisions Act 2021 amends the Adoptive Leave Act 1995 to enable adoptive couples to choose which parent may avail of adoptive leave and, in doing so, rectifies an anomaly in the current legislation that left married male same-sex couples unable to avail of adoptive leave.
The Act also removes the presumption that the adoptive mother be the primary caregiver and permits families to choose the best option for their family. It provides for the availability of paternity leave and benefit to the parent who is not availing of adoptive leave.