Barnardos seeks increased paid parental leave

The Barnardos charity has called for legislation that would give parents and children more time to spend together.

As part of its Parents Under Pressure campaign, the organisation said shared time is the most precious commodity for both parents and children.

Barnardos said modern society leaves families under intense pressure due to work commitments and it called for Government action to help alleviate the problem.

"In particular, Barnardos would like to see more paid parental leave, [which] would really enable families with children under five to have more time together," spokesperson Deirdre Mortell said.