Ireland: parental leave goes from 14 up to 18 weeks

The Irish government has transposed the European directive on parental leave of 2010, thus adding one month to parental leave for all children under 8 years of age. The new regulations, signed on March 8 - the deadline for transposing the Directive, also provides that a parent returning to work has the right to ask for a change in work pattern for a set period. (Ref. 130190)
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The 2010 Community Directive (see our dispatch No. 100243) grants parental leave of at least four months in the EU27. The text signed by the Minister for Justice, Equality and Defense, Alan Shatter, goes even further, bringing parental leave from 14 up to 18 weeks per child under the age of 8. This provision applies for children under 8 years of age, or in the case of child with a disability or long term illness, under 16 years of age. Parental leave is non-transferable between parents, unl

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