Social Welfare Payments
Dail Éireann — 2026-02-26
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Emer Currie (FG), Dublin West

That is really encouraging, particularly as we in Ireland are above average when it comes to the length of time we can spend at home with our new babies on foot of maternity and parent's benefit. As stated, we are below average when it comes to the financial supports to do so. As the Minister indicated, pay-related jobseeker's benefit is working very well and is a model that could be applied in this instance.
I cannot emphasise enough how important the first year of a baby's life is for both the baby and the parents. As a mother, it changes you - your body, your brain formation and your identity. There is a term for it, "matrescence", and it does not get the attention it deserves. We are still behind the curve when it comes to family leave. In most countries, maternity benefit replaces at least half of a person's wages but that does not happen here.

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Record URI: https://data.oireachtas.ie/akn/ie/debateRecord/dail/2026-02-26/debate/main
Retrieved: 2026-08-14T04:54:42+00:00
Sitting date: 2026-02-26