Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 11 December 2025
518. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if her attention has been drawn to cases whereby pregnant women are not given adequate job protection in advance of taking maternity leave (details supplied); if this is under review; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [70889/25]
View answer519. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the protections in place for pregnant women who believe they have been made redundant in advance of maternity leave as a means of removing them from company payroll; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [70890/25]
View answer520. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the work that is ongoing within her Department to ensure fair treatment for pregnant women in terms of maternity leave, sick leave and appropriate working conditions, regardless of their position within a company; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [70891/25]
View answer521. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality her views on the adequacy of existing regulations in relation to the fair treatment of pregnant women in the workplace; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [70892/25]
View answer522. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality her views on how Ireland compares to other EU counties in terms of the level of employment protection given to pregnant women in advance of taking maternity leave; her views on whether existing protections are sufficient; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [70893/25]
View answer523. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality her views on how Ireland compares to the United Kingdom in terms of the level of employment protection given to pregnant women in advance of taking maternity leave; her views on whether existing protections are sufficient; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [70894/25]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 518 to 523, inclusive, together.
Ireland has a robust legal framework in place to ensure women in the workplace who are pregnant have legal protection from unfair dismissal.
The Employment Equality Act 1998 and the Equal Status Act 2000 prohibit discrimination and harassment on specified grounds, including that of gender, in the field of employment and in the access to and supply of goods and services, respectively. The Acts place obligations on employers and service providers to take reasonable steps to accommodate the needs of people regardless of their gender.
The Maternity Protection Acts 1994–2004 ensure legal protection for those who are pregnant including in matters of employment and unfair dismissal. I would encourage those who feel they have been unfairly treated in the workplace due to being pregnant to obtain advice from the relevant experts in the Workplace Relations Commission.
The Workplace Relations Commission is an independent, statutory body which was established on 1st October 2015 under the Workplace Relations Act 2015 (No. 16 of 2015). The oversight of operations of the Workplace Relations Commission falls under the remit of the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment.
With regard to the payment of Maternity Benefit, this is a matter for the Department of Social Protection, and more information should be sought from them in relation to this issue. However, it should be noted that if the contract of employment ends within 16 weeks of the end of the week in which the baby is due then Maternity Benefit may be paid depending on the amount of PRSI contributions accumulated.
Regarding provision of leave, significant improvements have been made in the entitlements to both paid and unpaid leaves in recent years, including by extending paid parent's leave for parents to allow them to spend more time with their baby during their earliest years.
The Maternity Protection Act 1994 and the Maternity Protection (Amendment) Act 2004 provide a pregnant employee with 26 weeks of paid maternity leave and an additional 16 weeks of unpaid leave, alongside other entitlements such as breastfeeding breaks after the return to work, which have been extended to two years following the birth of the child through the Work Life Balance and Miscellaneous Provisions Act 2023. Furthermore, since 20 November 2024, employees can postpone their maternity leave if they require ongoing treatment for a serious health condition as set out in the Maternity Protection, Employment Equality and Preservation of Certain Records Act 2024.
Legal protections and family leave provisions are kept under review to ensure that they are effective and respond to the needs of families.
