31 October 2025
By Elaine Murphy
elaine@TheCork.ie

Citizens Information

KNOW YOUR RIGHTS: Leave for Parents

Parents who are in employment have a right to take time off work to look after their children. Parents have several different types of statutory leave entitlements, for example, maternity leave, adoptive leave, paternity leave, parental leave and parent’s leave. The qualifying conditions for each type of leave varies. The following is an overview of the different types of leave you can avail of.

What is Maternity Leave?

As an employee, you have the right to take 26 weeks’ maternity leave if you become pregnant. You also have the right to take up to 16 weeks’ additional maternity leave. You can take this time off work from full-time, casual or part-time employment. It does not matter how long you have been working for your employer.

You must take at least 2 weeks’ maternity leave before your baby is due, and at least 4 weeks after the baby is born.

If you have enough social insurance (PRSI) contributions, you are entitled to Maternity Benefit (including self-employed) for the 26 weeks of basic maternity leave. Maternity Benefit does not cover additional maternity leave.

What is adoptive leave?

If you are a parent who is adopting alone or as part of an adopting couple, you can get 24 weeks’ leave off work with adoptive leave. Only one parent in the couple can qualify for adoptive leave.

The 24 weeks start from the date the child is placed in your care.

Your employer does not have to pay you during adoptive leave, unless it is included in your contract. You can get Adoptive Benefit, if you have enough PRSI contributions.

You can take up to 16 additional weeks’ unpaid adoptive leave, but you cannot claim Adoptive Benefit for these extra weeks. You must give your employer 4 weeks’ notice in writing if you plan to take adoptive leave

What is paternity leave?

Paternity leave gives new parents 2 weeks off work. You can take time off if you are employed or self-employed and can start the leave any time in the first 6 months after the baby’s birth. You can also take paternity leave when you adopt a child. Usually, fathers take paternity leave. Paternity leave is also available to same-sex couples. 

For an adopted child, the relevant parent is the parent who is not the qualifying adopter for adoptive leave. This means one of you can take adoption leave and the other paternity leave. If you are adopting alone you can take paternity leave if you are not taking adoptive leave. 

Your employer does not have to pay you during paternity leave, but you may qualify for Paternity Benefit if you have enough PRSI contributions

What is parental leave?

Parental leave lets parents take unpaid leave from work to spend time looking after their children. You can take up to 26 weeks’ parental leave for each eligible child before their 12th birthday. If you work part-time, your entitlement to parental leave is reduced on a ‘pro-rata basis’. Generally, you must have been working for your employer for a year before you are entitled to parental leave. However, if your child is very near the age limit and you have been working for your employer for more than 3 months (but less than one year), you can take ‘pro-rata parental leave’. If your child has a disability or a long-term illness, you can take parental leave until they are 16 years of age.

What is parent’s leave?

Parent’s leave is a statutory entitlement for parents in employment or self-employment. It aims to let working parents spend more time with their baby or adopted child during the first two years. Each parent is entitled to 9 weeks leave for an eligible child.

You may also qualify for a payment called Parent’s Benefit during parent’s leave. It is paid while you are on parent’s leave from work if you have enough social insurance (PRSI) contributions. 

Your employer does not have to pay you while you are on parent’s leave, although some employers may ‘top-up’ your parent’s leave- this is set out in your contract of employment. If you qualify for Parent’s Benefit, you will get €289 each week from the Department of Social Protection. To check the eligibility criteria for Parent’s Benefit, you should contact your local Citizens Information Centre.

What is Force Majeure Leave?

If you have a family crisis, you have a right to limited time off work. This is called force majeure leave. You may need to take force majeure leave for an urgent family reason, such as the unexpected injury or illness of a ‘close family member’. Close family member includes your child, your spouse or partner, your parent or grandparent, your sibling, someone you have a duty of care for or someone who depends on you for care. 

You can take force majeure leave of one or more days up to a maximum of 3 days in 12 consecutive months, or a total of 5 days in 36 consecutive months (3 years). Depending on your employer and your contract of employment, you may be able to take more than this.

You get paid while you are on force majeure leave. If your employer allows you to take additional force majeure leave, you should check if it is paid.

What is unpaid leave for medical care?

Unpaid leave for medical care gives you 5 days unpaid leave if you need to take time off work to deal with serious medical care for a child or other relevant person like a family member. Your employer can request relevant evidence of the medical need for the leave. The leave is available to both parents and carers. You do not need any minimum service with your employer to take this leave.

You don’t have to give your employer notice to take the leave in emergency circumstances. You should give notice if it’s possible to. Unpaid leave for medical care is different to force majeure leave, which is paid leave for an urgent family crisis.

Further information on this and other topics is available from Cork City Centre CIC in Cornmarket Street, open to the public on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays from 9.45am to 12.30pm and Wednesdays from 2pm to 4pm, Tel 0818 07 6950 (Lines open Mon-Fri 10am-4.30pm).  Blackpool CIC is also open to the public on Tuesdays and Thursdays  from 10am to 1pm and 2pm to 4pm, Tel 0818 07 6890 while Hollyhill CIC is open Mondays and Fridays from 10am to 1pm and 2pm to 4pm, Tel: 0818 07 6850.

Information is also available from the Citizens Information Phone Service Tel: 0818 07 4000 (9am – 8pm, Mon – Fri) or online at www.citizensinformation.ie