Half of Irish women get full pay while on maternity leave

HALF OF all Irish women in employment receive full pay when they are off on maternity leave, according to a recent survey.

Dublin-based Principle HR found that more than four in five women receive some contribution from their employers when they are on maternity leave and 19 per cent received nothing at all.

In Ireland, women are entitled to six months’ paid maternity leave, with the State paying €265.50 a week. They are also entitled to 14 weeks’ unpaid maternity leave. There is no statutory entitlement to two weeks’ paternity leave – a situation which the European Parliament wants changed.

It is at the discretion of employers whether or not they top up the State contribution for maternity leave. The survey was carried out by Principle in 2008 and involved a combination of women employees and human resources personnel. Ireland is a mid-ranking European country in terms of maternity benefit. Scandinavian countries are best with Sweden, Norway and Denmark offering a year’s paid leave.

Irish Small and Medium Enterprises chief executive Mark Fielding said most of its members do not pay maternity leave. He said it would have the effect of making employers discriminate against employing young women.

“If there are two candidates and one is a buxom young woman of child-rearing years and the other is a fellow, who is an employer going to hire when he or she knows that they will have to pay 20 weeks’ maternity leave?” he said.