Richard Boyd Barrett
Ceist:354. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Social Protection the estimated full-year cost of extending parent’s benefit to 52 weeks. [28872/24]
Amharc ar fhreagraThursday, 4 July 2024
Ceisteanna (354, 355)
Richard Boyd Barrett
Ceist:355. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Social Protection the estimated full-year cost of extending parent’s benefit to 52 weeks and increasing the level of the payment to €300 a week. [28873/24]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
I propose to take Questions Nos. 354 and 355 together.
Parents Benefit is a payment for employed and self-employed people who are on Parents Leave from work who satisfy certain PRSI contribution conditions. It is currently paid for seven weeks and has been extended to nine weeks from the first of August 2024 at €274 per week.
Any decision to extend the period of Parents Leave for employees is a matter for my colleague, the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth, who has policy and legal responsibility for the scheme. Any extension of this leave would require careful consideration and consultation with relevant stakeholders.
The cost of extending Parents Benefit by 43 weeks, from 9 weeks to 52 weeks, at the currently weekly rate of €274 would result in an additional annual expenditure on the scheme of approximately €606 million.
The cost of extending Parents Benefit, by 43 weeks, from 9 weeks to 52 weeks, and also increasing the weekly rate by €26, from €274 to €300, would result in an increase of annual expenditure on the scheme of approximately €667 million.
These estimates are based on a full year basis and on the number of recipients in 2024. It should be noted that this costing is subject to change in the context of emerging trends and associated revision of the estimated number of recipients.
These estimates do not reflect any additional costs which may be incurred by employers who provide substitution or salary top-ups which, in the Civil and Public Sector, would be a matter for my colleague the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.