‘Anti-woman’ maternity leave cuts could face legal challenge

Attempts to cut maternity leave for teachers may face legal challenges, with teaching parents calling the measures anti-family.

The changes will remove access to up to 30 days of additional maternity leave currently available to teachers in some instances. The extra days are to allow for the fact that some of their statutory six months’ leave might fall during summer holidays or other school closures.

Education Minister Ruairi Quinn says the arrangement is not available to any other public servants and the cut, announced in December’s budget, will save €20m a year in substitution costs.