Social Welfare Consolidation Act 2005 section 61G

Entitlement to and duration of benefit

Section 61G establishes the entitlement to Parent's Benefit, a social welfare payment supporting parents who take time off work to care for a child during the first two years following birth or adoption.

• Parent's Benefit is payable for up to 9 weeks, which can be taken as a continuous block or in separate periods of at least one week each, and must be claimed within 104 weeks (2 years) of the child's birth or adoption placement.
• To qualify, an employed parent needs employer certification of their entitlement to parent's leave, while self-employed parents must be in insurable self-employment—both must satisfy PRSI contribution conditions unless regulations provide otherwise.
• Only one Parent's Benefit is payable per parent per child, regardless of multiple births or simultaneous adoptions, though a surviving parent may receive transferred entitlement if the other parent dies before the child reaches two years of age.
• Payment may be postponed where the child is hospitalised or where seasonal work variations prevent a self-employed parent from claiming within the standard period, with extensions of up to 12 weeks available in certain circumstances.