Good news for parents.

Earlier this year it was announced that unpaid parental leave was to be extended by an additional four weeks. The new law came into effect yesterday for parents with children aged twelve years and under. The new law on parental leave will see the time parents can take off extend from 18 weeks to 22 weeks. Minister for Justice Charlie Flanagan has also said that from next year, this leave will be further increased by another four weeks meaning that parents will be able to avail of up to 26 weeks of leave. The age limit of the children that this new law applies to has also increased from eight years of age to twelve. Approximately 60,000 parents a year are expected to gain from this change which will offer both parents the opportunity to spend more time at home with their children. Speaking on the new changes David Stanton, T.D., Minister of State with responsibility for Equality, Immigration and Integration elaborated, said:

"I was very pleased to work with Oireachtas Members on behalf of Government to enact and implement this legislation. This proposal for additional unpaid leave was made in a private members’ bill sponsored by Deputies Róisín Shortall and Catherine Murphy. The Government continues to develop and extend its own proposals to extend paid parental leave entitlements. Later this year a new social insurance-based parental leave system will be available to parents providing two weeks of paid leave to both parents during the first year of a child’s life."

For more information on the new Parental Leave Act, you can visit Citizen's Information or contact your local Citizen's Information office.