Questions

616. Deputy Ryan O'Meara asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the plans to expand paid surrogacy leave to parents of new-born children born through surrogacy, either within Ireland or abroad. [71364/26]

67. Deputy Mark Wall asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if she will consider increasing the duration of parent’s leave to support more working parents to stay at home with their children during the first year, given her Department has policy and legal responsibility for all family leaves. [65895/26]

77. Deputy Edward Timmins asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality to review the unfair situation where parents working in private industry are limited to parental leave to the age of 12 for their child, compared to age 16 for parents working in the public service. [65957/26]

691. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality her views on the merits of amending the parental leave system to allow for greater time for parents of twins or other multiple births that would allow for greater supports to account for the additional challenges that these families face; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [53552/26]

695. Deputy Cormac Devlin asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if consideration will be given to providing additional parental leave and benefit to parents who have twins, triplets or other multiples, to reflect the greater demands that having twins or triplets has on parents, both practically and financially; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [53728/26]

1535. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality in respect of parental leave for same-sex parents of children conceived abroad through non-commercial surrogacy, whether the non-natal parent can avail of parental leave notwithstanding that, as yet, they are not registered as the child’s parent on their birth certificate. [41490/26]

915. Deputy Michael Collins asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality further to representations received from a constituent, the rationale behind parent's leave being allocated on a per pregnancy basis rather than per child; her views that this results in parents of twins or other multiple births receiving the same statutory parent's leave entitlement as parents of a single child; her views that this …

447. Deputy Keira Keogh asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality for an update on the potential extension of paternity leave beyond the two weeks currently legislated for; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [33731/26]

807. Deputy Seán Ó Fearghaíl asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if she will address the proposal regarding parental leave, raised in correspondence (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21546/26]

746. Deputy Pádraig Rice asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality her plans over the course of this Government to increase paid leave for new parents and the rate of payment they receive from her Department; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [16694/26]

886. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality to detail the work undergone by her Department to investigate and prepare for the introduction of paid surrogacy leave for parents; when it is intended to introduce surrogacy leave; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14571/26]

901. Deputy Cathal Crowe asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality further to Parliamentary Question No. 1093 of 17 February 2026, if she will consider a public consultation plan regarding the Action Plan for the National Strategy to allow parents to share parental leave allocations between each other; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14983/26]

509. Deputy Grace Boland asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the role her Department plays in public awareness campaigns for paternity leave and parent’s leave, including targeted outreach to employers and employees; the plans in place to increase awareness and take-up by men; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1859/26]

510. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if she will consider mandating employers to top up parental leave payments, including maternity and paternity payments; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1622/26]

998. Deputy Cathal Crowe asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if she will consider introducing new rules that would allow spouses to share parental leave allocations between each other (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [11664/26]

902. Deputy Emer Currie asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the percentage and number of women, who availed of their full entitlement of parents leave in each of the years 2020 to 2025; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [9595/26]

903. Deputy Emer Currie asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the percentage and number of men that availed of their full entitlement of parents leave in each of the years 2020 to 2025; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [9596/26]

904. Deputy Emer Currie asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the percentage and number of men that availed of their full entitlement of paternity leave in each of the years 2020 to 2025; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [9597/26]

907. Deputy Eoin Hayes asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if she will introduce the option to share/transfer parent's leave between parents; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [9871/26]

151. Deputy Shay Brennan asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if she has examined allowing parental leave entitlements to be transferred between parents who are employed by different employers; the considerations involved in such a policy change; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [2830/26]

1876. Deputy Grace Boland asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the role her Department plays in public awareness campaigns for paternity leave and parent's leave, including targeted outreach to employers and employees; the plans in place to increase awareness and take-up by men; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1909/26]

1877. Deputy Grace Boland asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality whether she will commission a review of barriers to fathers and other parents taking up paternity and parent's leave, including workplace practices and cultural norms, and publish options to increase take-up; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1910/26]

1937. Deputy Pat Buckley asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if flexible working and parental leave policies will be properly implemented, including allowing parental leave to be taken in single days rather than rigid seven-day blocks, which does not reflect the reality of family life; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [74830/25]

1995. Deputy Sinéad Gibney asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if her Department is considering aligning the parental leave age limit of 12 years in the private sector as laid out in the parental leave acts with that of the public sector, where the limit is 16 years; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1648/26]

280. Deputy Cathy Bennett asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if she will consider a change in policy for parental leave in terms of the amount of leave that can be transferred between parents; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [70540/25]