A bill to provide two weeks’ extra paid leave for working mothers and fathers [1] has been jointly published by three Government Ministers.
The provision will apply to the parents of children born or adopted from November 1st this year and will be available to the self-employed as well as employees.
The Parental Leave and Benefit Bill will first go through the Seanad and then the Dáil and is expected to be passed by November 1st.
Minister for Justice Charlie Flanagan, Minister for Employment Affairs Regina Doherty and Minister of State for Equality David Stanton are all promoting the bill.
Ms Doherty said “It will provide working parents with a further opportunity to spend more time with their new baby during its first year, which is of particular importance.”
There is nothing in the bill for stay at home parents, nor anything that would encourage parents to take an extended leave of absence from work to mind their children, during their all important first year.