Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 18 February 2026
248. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality her views on the adequacy of existing supports for single mothers in the weeks and months after giving birth; if any review of the State support structures can be considered; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [12938/26]
View answer249. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if she will consider providing for a nominated support person (details supplied) leave in lieu of paternity leave in situations whereby the father of a child is not supportive to the mother; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [12940/26]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 248 and 249 together.
I acknowledge the significant challenges faced by one-parent families and reaffirm the commitment of Government to continue to address these. There have been significant developments in entitlements for parents of working families in recent years. The Government is committed to supporting workers, including by extending paid leave for parents to allow them to spend more time with their child during their earliest years.
Under the Parent’s Leave and Benefit Act 2019, working parents are entitled to nine weeks of paid parent's leave for each relevant parent, to be taken in the first two years after the birth or adoptive placement of a child, as required by the EU Work Life Balance Directive.
It is important to note that the entitlement under the 2019 Act is for each parent in their own right and is not an allocation per family. The Act was drafted to take account of the broad complexion of family life, including one parent families, and allows for an entitlement for the spouse, civil partner or cohabitant of the parent. Parents do not have to cohabit to be eligible for the entitlement. However, the leave is non-transferable to ensure that fathers as well as mothers are supported in their caring roles and to support women's equal labour market participation. The principle of non-transferability is also required by the EU Work-Life Balance Directive because of the importance of ensuring that the provision of family leave does not serve to disadvantage mothers participating in the labour market.
Under the Parental Leave (Amendment) Act 2019, an employee who is a relevant parent in respect of a child under the age 12 is entitled to 26 weeks’ unpaid parental leave for each child. Where a child has a disability or long-term illness, the entitlement can continue until the child is 16. A relevant parent is a parent, an adoptive parent, or a person acting in ‘loco parentis'.
It should be noted that the legislation only sets out the minimum entitlement to parental leave. Depending on an individual’s contract of employment, they may have more extensive rights to parental leave, as employers have the option to offer more than the entitlement set out in the legislation.
Government is acutely aware of the additional challenges faced by one-parent families and their greater risk of poverty. Government will continue to address the challenges through taxation and welfare systems and the range of services provided. There is also a commitment in the Programme for Government 2025, ‘Securing Ireland’s Future’, to continue to prioritise and enhance supports for lone parents.
To the extent that the matter falls within the Department, I am committed to working with colleagues to support one-parent families through the development of enhanced and targeted supports for single parent families and am cognisant of the difficulties faced by lone parents and will examine where additional supports could be provided to them.
The One-parent family payment, which is a provision of the Department of Social Protection, is a payment for parents under 66 who are not cohabiting, and whose youngest child is under 7.
Family leave provisions are kept under review to ensure that they are effective and respond to the needs of families. Policy on family leave entitlements is also mindful of the impact of the leaves on employers. The Programme for Government sets out a commitment to examine the possible extension of parent's leave and benefit and additional flexibilities. The first Action Plan for the National Strategy for Women and Girls 2025-2030 is currently in development and any changes to available supports for one-parent families will be considered in this context.
