How does Ireland’s maternity policy stack up against those in other European nations?
In Ireland, mothers are entitled to 26 weeks of fully or partially paid leave, in addition to 16 weeks of unpaid leave. Moreover, each parent has the option to take up to nine weeks of leave that must be utilized before their child turns two.
This means a fully employed new mother in Ireland can spend at least the first year at home with her baby. For those fortunate enough to secure a spot, their child then transitions into a crèche.
According to current EU legislation, maternity leave—including both prenatal and postnatal periods—must last a minimum of 14 weeks, with compensation at least equal to the national sick pay level. Beyond these foundational requirements, individual EU countries are free to shape their maternity leave policies as they see fit.
Germany is often lauded for its generous maternity approach. Women there can take up to three years off after childbirth, with guaranteed job security. The choice concerning leave duration rests solely with the mother, allowing her to decide what works best for her family.
Nonetheless, many women opt to return to work after an average of 14 months. Financial factors contribute to this; during the first year, new mothers receive 65% of their salary, capped at €1,800 per month, before benefits significantly drop off.
To enhance their work-life balance, many German women prefer to work reduced hours upon returning—something that is both common and widely accepted.
“Germany is a great place to raise a child,” shares Julia Stolley, a 34-year-old mother of three from Hamburg. She returned to a full-time role after a year spent at home with her children, emphasizing the flexibility offered to parents.
However, Ms. Stolley expressed that extended prenatal leave for twin pregnancies would be beneficial. “Commuting two hours daily on public transport during late pregnancy was increasingly difficult,” she admits. In Germany, expectant mothers must cease working at least six weeks before their due date, a stark contrast to just two weeks stipulated in Ireland.
In Germany, children are eligible for a spot in a state-subsidized childcare facility or kindergarten starting at 12 months. In Ireland, on the other hand, mothers often hustle for crèche slots as soon as they confirm their pregnancy, whereas German families cannot apply until after birth.
Instead, applications in Germany are centralized through a state-run platform where childcare providers review submissions and contact families directly.
Moreover, parents in Germany receive €250 per month in child benefits (kindergeld) until their child turns 18—significantly higher than the €140 provided in Ireland.
French mothers face limited bonding time
In France, new mothers employed in the private sector receive 16 weeks of paid maternity leave, with six weeks before birth and ten weeks following. Some of this prenatal leave can be transferred into the postnatal period.
An additional year of parental leave is available, though it typically comes with minimal financial support.
Nathalie Blanchard, a teacher from Baillet-en-France near Paris, extended her paid leave by three months of minimally paid additional leave, allowing her to stay home with her son Tristan for the first five months. Nonetheless, she found returning to work far too soon to be quite challenging.
“I cried the night before,” she recalls, emphasizing the emotional toll that returning to work so quickly can take.
Returning full-time right after maternity leave felt abrupt. Had her circumstances allowed, Nathalie would have happily lingered at home a bit longer. While she values France’s free healthcare for mothers and babies, she muses, “There just isn’t enough time to bond with our children.” Additionally, negotiating flexible work arrangements poses challenges.
French fathers enjoy 25 days of paternity leave, a considerable increase over the two weeks granted to Irish fathers. However, childcare can be particularly challenging in France, with public crèche spots notoriously hard to secure, while private facilities can be prohibitively expensive. Availability fluctuates across regions, with some areas having as few as six spots for every 100 children.
For Nathalie and her husband, hiring a nanny became the best option. With their teaching schedules and long summer breaks, they only need to pay for 38 weeks of care each year, making it a feasible solution.
It’s noteworthy that France does not provide child benefits for firstborn children, but families with two children receive just over €150 per month.
Challenges for Polish mothers on precarious contracts
Conversely, Polish mothers confront different obstacles. They are entitled to one year of leave: 20 weeks at full pay, followed by 32 weeks at 70% of their salary. However, many Polish women work under “contracts of services,” or what are typically referred to as “trash contracts,” leaving them without maternity protections.
Media producer Olga Galecka, a mother of an eight-month-old, fall squarely into this category. “I’m lucky with my job, and my employer is very understanding,” she shares, discussing a verbal agreement to return to work later in the year. However, legally, after her last short-term contract ended, she finds herself without a job.
Polish families navigate a mix of public and private creches, with private options comprising 75% of childcare facilities. Monthly expenses range from €200 to €500, with public daycare being the more economical choice. Families in Poland receive €190 per month in child benefits. Extended family, particularly grandparents, often fills crucial childcare roles and can even earn €360 a month from the government for looking after their relatives’ children.
A Gender-Neutral Approach in Scandinavia
Across other EU states, the leave policies often follow similar patterns of partially paid and unpaid leave for both mothers and fathers. The Nordic nations stand out for their generous and flexible parental leave systems.
In Sweden, for example, legislation emphasizes gender neutrality, replacing “maternity leave” with “parental leave.” Both parents collectively can take a total of 480 days off at 80% of their salary. Each parent is required to utilize at least 90 days, vastly exceeding the maximum two weeks of paternity leave offered in Ireland. Moreover, parents can also take unpaid leave until the child is 18 months old.
Norway and Finland similarly support progressive parental leave systems, including specific quotas for fathers. While Ireland’s maternity leave provisions are commendable compared to other EU nations, the benefits for Irish fathers remain significantly behind their counterparts. Enhancing parental leave equality could be a pivotal next step in enriching family life, ensuring that the responsibilities—and joys—of early childcare are truly shared.
Edited By Ali Musa
Axadle Times International – Monitoring.
