Additional parent’s leave for families welcoming multiple births at the same time or adopting more than one child needs to be given “serious consideration”, a Fine Gael TD is urging.
John Paul O’Shea said there is a “need to examine enhanced leave” for parents of twins, triplets and other multiple births, as well as families adopting multiple children together.
The Cork North West TD said the current arrangements do not adequately reflect the additional demands placed on these families during the crucial first year of a child’s life.
About one in every 61 deliveries in Ireland results in a multiple birth, giving a multiple birth rate of roughly 1.6 per cent according to recent national maternity reports.
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While exact final verified counts for the prior calendar year from the Central Statistics Office are compiled with a reporting lag, historical trends average roughly 900 to 1,000 sets of twins and 10 to 20 sets of triplets annually.
O’Shea pointed out that parents of twins, triplets or more face “significantly greater financial, emotional and practical challenges from the very beginning. Likewise, families who adopt more than one child at the same time take on an enormous responsibility and should receive the appropriate support.”
In response to a Parliamentary Question raised by O’Shea, the Minister for Children Norma Foley confirmed that family leave provisions remain under review and highlighted commitments in the Programme for Government to examine the extension of Parent’s Leave and Benefit, along with additional flexibilities.
“This provides an important opportunity to ensure our family leave system better recognises the realities faced by these families,” O’Shea said.
He maintains that while Ireland has made significant progress in expanding family leave supports in recent years, there remains a strong case for targeted measures for families with multiple births or adoptions.
“The first year of a child’s life is hugely important, and Government policy rightly recognises the benefits of allowing parents to care for their children at home during this period. However, when two or more children arrive at once, the demands on parents increase dramatically while the leave entitlement remains the same,” he said.
“I believe there is a fair and reasonable case for providing additional Parent’s Leave where families welcome multiple births or adopt more than one child together. It would acknowledge the unique circumstances these parents face and provide them with greater support during one of the most demanding periods of family life.”
O’Shea welcomed the confirmation that further family leave reforms will be considered as part of the implementation of the Programme for Government and the forthcoming Action Plan under the National Strategy for Women and Girls 2025 to 2030.
He said: “I am encouraging the Minister to give serious consideration to this proposal as those reforms are developed. Supporting parents during the earliest stages of their children’s lives delivers long-term benefits for families, children and society as a whole, and families of multiples deserve to be part of that conversation.”
