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]
Topics / Parental Leave
A subject heading for parliamentary questionsParental Leave
83 questions from 38 TDs, between 22 January 2025 and 13 October 2026.
83
questions
81 written, 2 oral
38
TDs have asked
10
parties and groups
Independents counted together
6
departments asked
Questions per month
The record holds no questions for August, when the Dáil does not sit.
Jan 2025Oct 2026
Show as a table
| Month | Questions |
|---|---|
| January 2025 | 3 |
| February 2025 | 2 |
| March 2025 | 3 |
| April 2025 | 0 |
| May 2025 | 0 |
| June 2025 | 2 |
| July 2025 | 6 |
| August 2025 | 0 |
| September 2025 | 8 |
| October 2025 | 2 |
| November 2025 | 14 |
| December 2025 | 1 |
| January 2026 | 5 |
| February 2026 | 10 |
| March 2026 | 7 |
| April 2026 | 7 |
| May 2026 | 2 |
| June 2026 | 5 |
| July 2026 | 3 |
| August 2026 | 0 |
| September 2026 | 2 |
| October 2026 | 1 |
Who asks, by party
The party each TD belonged to on the day, in alphabetical order. Parties differ a lot in size, and members of the Government answer questions rather than ask them, so this shows who raised it, not how much a party cares about it.
The TDs who asked most
Members of the Government answer questions rather than ask them. Each question counts once.
-
19
-
7
-
5
-
5
-
4
-
3
-
3
-
3
Asked of
Debated under the same heading
Debates whose official heading is exactly these words.
The questions
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]
107. Deputy Ryan O'Meara asked the Minister for Education and Youth if a primary school teacher can amend their application for parental leave, following an error made on the application (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [52134/26]
364. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Social Protection the estimated first year and full year cost of expanding adoptive leave to 26-weeks. [46603/26]
382. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Social Protection the estimated full year cost of extending the parent’s leave and benefit by one week. [46685/26]
384. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Social Protection the estimated first year and full year cost of extending maternity benefit by an additional two weeks. [46720/26]
385. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Social Protection the estimated first year and full year cost of extending parent's benefit by an additional two weeks. [46721/26]
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]
14. Deputy Grace Boland asked the Minister for Social Protection in the context of the programme for Government commitment to examine the extension of parents’ leave and benefit, whether he will outline the current status of this examination; the options under consideration to extend the duration of parents’ leave and benefit beyond the current entitlement; when he expects to bring proposals to Government; and if he …
18. Deputy Emer Currie asked the Minister for Social Protection as part of the upcoming public consultation paper on pay-related parent's leave in Autumn 2026 to be led by his Department, if this will include specific consultation on other types of family leave and additional flexibilities such as the transferability of leave between parents, and extended leave for lone parents. [31456/26]
93. Deputy Emer Currie asked the Minister for Social Protection whether the variance in corporate top-ups will be taken into consideration as part of the upcoming public consultation paper on pay-related parent’s leave. [31451/26]
1461. Deputy Liam Quaide asked the Minister for Education and Youth if she will review the parental leave arrangements for teachers and special needs assistants to allow greater flexibility in the way in which leave may be taken, including shorter blocks than the current standard arrangement; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [26041/26]
1462. Deputy Liam Quaide asked the Minister for Education and Youth the rationale for requiring parental leave for teachers and special needs assistants to be taken in fixed blocks rather than in a more flexible pattern that reflects the realities of modern family life and childcare needs; and whether reform is under consideration. [26042/26]
1463. Deputy Liam Quaide asked the Minister for Education and Youth whether her Department has examined the impact of current parental leave rules on the retention of teachers and special needs assistants, particularly parents of young children; and if she will publish any such analysis. [26043/26]
1464. Deputy Liam Quaide asked the Minister for Education and Youth whether she accepts that the limited flexibility available under current parental leave arrangements places particular pressure on school staff with childcare responsibilities; and if she will outline any engagement her Department has had with unions or staff representatives on possible reforms. [26044/26]
455. Deputy Emer Currie asked the Minister for Health whether under public service parental leave, a person who works in the HSE can transfer their parental leave to someone in An Garda Síochána. [23118/26]
403. Deputy Emer Currie asked the Minister for Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation the difference between statutory parental leave and parental leave available to civil service workers; and who is entitled to enhanced parental leave as outlined by the National Shared Services. [21610/26]
667. Deputy Cathal Crowe asked the Minister for Social Protection the estimated full year cost of increasing paid paternity benefit from two weeks to eight weeks; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21809/26]
674. Deputy Emer Currie asked the Minister for Social Protection as part of the upcoming public consultation paper on pay-related parent's leave in Autumn 2026 to be led by his Department, if this will include specific consultation on other types of family leave and additional flexibilities such as the transferability of leave between parents, and extended leave for lone parents. [21987/26]
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]