The Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform, Mr. Michael McDowell, T.D., today announced that he has signed into law Orders increasing the duration of maternity and adoptive leave to come into effect on 1 March 2006 and 1 March 2007.
Making the order, the Minister said, "These increases significantly improve the existing leave entitlements for working mothers on the birth or adoption of their child. They will offer greater choice to parents in how they decide to care for their child in the early stages of its life.
The rate of these increases is particularly significant when one considers that between now and March next year paid maternity leave will increase by 8 weeks, an increase of almost 45%. While in the same period paid adoptive leave will have increased by 50%.
These increases bring the total maternity and adoptive leave entitlements to 42 and 40 weeks respectively, an increase of 133% and 186% since 1997."
In the interests of maintaining the parity of entitlements between adopting and natural mothers, similar arrangements will apply to adoptive leave.
The new leave arrangements will be as follows:
Paid maternity leave will increase to: 22 weeks on 1 March 2006
and subsequently to 26 weeks on 1 March 2007
Paid Adoptive leave will increase to: 20 weeks on 1 March 2006
and subsequently to 24 weeks on 1 March 2007
Unpaid maternity leave and unpaid adoptive leave will increase to:
12 weeks on 1 March 2006
and subsequently to 16 weeks on 1 March 2007
The Orders give effect to the increases announced in Budget 2006.
2 February 2006
Note to Editors
The following instruments give effect to the Budget 2006 increases:
- Maternity Protection Act 1994 (Extension of Periods of Leave) Order 2006
- Adoptive Leave Act 1995 (Extension of Periods of Leave) Order 2006
The Orders will come into operation on 1 March, 2006 i.e. 4 weeks after signing. The 4 week delay is required to allow employees give the requisite 4 weeks notice of intention to take maternity/additional maternity leave or adoptive/additional adoptive leave as provided in the parent Acts.
Under section 3(4) of the Maternity Protection Act 1994 and section 3(3) of the Adoptive Leave Act 1995, each Order requires a resolution of both Houses of the Oireachtas before it can be signed into law. Draft Orders were laid before each of the Houses of the Oireachtas on 18 January, 2006. Resolutions on the Orders were passed by the Dail and Seanad on 25 January, 2006.
In March, 2001 paid maternity leave was increased by 4 weeks to 18 weeks while unpaid additional maternity leave was increased from 4 weeks to 8 weeks. In March, 2001 paid adoptive leave was increased from 10 weeks to 14 weeks while unpaid additional adoptive leave was increased from 4 weeks to 8 weeks. On 19 November, 2004, paid adoptive leave was increased by a further 2 weeks to 16 weeks.
| Maternity leave (attracting payment of maternity benefit or salary) | Additional maternity leave (unpaid) | Total leave available | |
| 1997 | 14 weeks | 4 weeks | 18 weeks |
| Current position 2006 |
18 weeks | 8 weeks | 26 weeks |
| 1 March 2006 | 22 weeks | 12 weeks | 34 weeks |
| 1 March 2007 | 26 weeks | 16 weeks | 42 weeks |
| Adoptive leave (attracting payment of adoptive benefit or salary) |
Additional adoptive leave (unpaid) | Total leave available | |
| 1997 | 10 weeks | 4 weeks | 14 weeks |
| Current position 2006 | 16 weeks | 8 weeks | 32 weeks |
| 1 March 2006 | 20 weeks | 12 weeks | 32 weeks |
| 1 March 2007 | 24 weeks | 16 weeks | 40 weeks |
For further information on maternity or adoptive leave please contact:
The Equality Authority, Clonmel Street, Dublin 2. Tel: 01-4173333. Lo-call: 1890 245545 or www.equality.ie
The newly extended Maternity and Adoptive Benefits will be payable by the Department of Social and Family Affairs for persons commencing maternity or adoptive leave on or after 1 March, 2006 (or 1 March, 2007 as appropriate). Further information is available on www.welfare.ie
Please note that all enquiries relating to Maternity Benefit should be made to: Maternity Benefit Section, Social Welfare Services Office, St. Oliver Plunkett Rd., Letterkenny, Co. Donegal. Lo-call: 1890 690690.
Enquiries relating to Adoptive Benefit should be made to the Adoptive Benefit Section at the above address.