Budget 2021

Str8outtaWuhan

Just wondering if they will increase the 26 week parental leave for all parents or just for those who have had a Covid-baby?

Cakerbaker

Str8outtaWuhan wrote: »

Just wondering if they will increase the 26 week parental leave for all parents or just for those who have had a Covid-baby?

They’ve said they’re increasing parents leave from 2 to 5 weeks. I haven’t heard anything about an increase in parental leave.

cornflake1

Str8outtaWuhan wrote: »

Just wondering if they will increase the 26 week parental leave for all parents or just for those who have had a Covid-baby?

I haven't heard anything on it. They just added four weeks to unpaid parental leave in September so I wouldn't expect another increase just now. Think all the plans for increases in the near future are for the paid parents leave anyway. I could be wrong though!

Str8outtaWuhan

cornflake1 wrote: »

I haven't heard anything on it. They just added four weeks to unpaid parental leave in September so I wouldn't expect another increase just now. Think all the plans for increases in the near future are for the paid parents leave anyway. I could be wrong though!

pity, even if it was flagged for sept 2021 it would help alot of families plan for the year ahead

cornflake1

Str8outtaWuhan wrote: »

pity, even if it was flagged for sept 2021 it would help alot of families plan for the year ahead

Yes, it would be great. Nearly half way through the total entitlement for my two children!

jlm29

It’s only after increasing, so almost certainly not. It was 18 weeks up until a couple of years ago, so I’d say we’ve done fairly well!

andreac

Parents leave extended by 3 weeks to 5 weeks in total. So that's basically 31 weeks of paid maternity from government.

Paul Tergat

It looks like it's only to be used in the first year of a childs life, despite them previously saying it would be first 2 years.

The above was in response to a motion brought to Dáil to extend mat leave for mothers who had babies and then covid hit so they had no quality time.

The reduction in first year vs first two years means, for example, a December 2019 babies mother will now not be able to avail of the extra 3 weeks due to the implementation date of these extra weeks being 2021.

andreac

Paul Tergat wrote: »

It looks like it's only to be used in the first year of a childs life, despite them previously saying it would be first 2 years.

The above was in response to a motion brought to Dáil to extend mat leave for mothers who had babies and then covid hit so they had no quality time.

The reduction in first year vs first two years means, for example, a December 2019 babies mother will now not be able to avail of the extra 3 weeks due to the implementation date of these extra weeks being 2021.

Yes that's a pity alright, but it is a move in the right direction, esp for people who have had babies in the last few months or are due soon.

Cakerbaker

Paul Tergat wrote: »

It looks like it's only to be used in the first year of a childs life, despite them previously saying it would be first 2 years.

The above was in response to a motion brought to Dáil to extend mat leave for mothers who had babies and then covid hit so they had no quality time.

The reduction in first year vs first two years means, for example, a December 2019 babies mother will now not be able to avail of the extra 3 weeks due to the implementation date of these extra weeks being 2021.

The 2 years could still end up being included in the legislation needed to bring all of this into force.

Paul Tergat

Cakerbaker wrote: »

The 2 years could still end up being included in the legislation needed to bring all of this into force.

Doubt they will bother to change it to be honest - I expect very little thought was put into it and not a massive headline issue for them.

Cakerbaker

Paul Tergat wrote: »

Doubt they will bother to change it to be honest - I expect very little thought was put into it and not a massive headline issue for them.

It’ll depend on the opposition really, the parties who wanted to extend Maternity leave might bring forward an amendment to the Bill. I’m just guessing here though. Would be a nice bonus for people if it did happen but I wouldn’t be counting on it.

Paul Tergat

Cakerbaker wrote: »

It’ll depend on the opposition really, the parties who wanted to extend Maternity leave might bring forward an amendment to the Bill. I’m just guessing here though. Would be a nice bonus for people if it did happen but I wouldn’t be counting on it.

Yeah but sure who listens to the opposition?

coffeyt

Anyone have any idea if the free gp card for under 6 is to be extended.
It was announced in last year's budget it was to be extended to under 8 from this September but doesn't seem to have happened and can find no mention of it this year.

I assume this means it's not going ahead?