New parents will be given two weeks paid parental leave in this year’s budget.
The government has plans to introduce the leave for new parents and increase the amount of time over the coming years.
A cabinet sub-committee on social policy chaired by Taoiseach Leo Varadkar last week also decided to extend the amount of time parents could avail of this leave.
The Irish Times reports that ministers decided the scheme would allow both parents to avail of paid time off.
There are also plans to extend the leave as far as 18 weeks.
The sub-committee decided against extending maternity leave – which currently stands at 26 weeks – or increasing paternal leave – which allows new fathers to take two weeks off.
Under current legislation, employers are not obliged to pay their workers if they take parental leave. Rather, it is up to the individual employer.
Parents are currently permitted to take 18 weeks unpaid leave before their child is eight-year-old.
