Emer Currie
Question:455. Deputy Emer Currie asked the Minister for Health whether under public service parental leave, a person who works in the HSE can transfer their parental leave to someone in An Garda Síochána. [23118/26]
View answerWednesday, 25 March 2026
Questions (455)
Written answers
There is no legal basis to transfer parental leave between an employee of the HSE and an employee of An Garda Síochána. Under the Parental Leave Act 1998 (as amended), parental leave is an individual statutory entitlement of each parent in respect of a qualifying child. Section 6 of the Act provides that an employee is entitled to parental leave from his or her own employer. Section 15 allows for a transfer of a portion of that entitlement to the other parent, but only with the agreement of the employer concerned. In practice and in line with public service application of the Act: Parental leave is administered by each employer separately and any transfer provision is only operable where both parents are employed by the same employer, as a single employer must be in a position to approve and administer the transfer. As the HSE and An Garda Síochána are distinct employers, there is no mechanism under the Act to effect such a transfer between them.