MEPs back 20-week maternity leave plan

Euro-MPs this afternoon voted overwhelmingly to extend minimum maternity leave to 20 weeks on full pay.

At the moment, Irish women are entitled to 26 weeks maternity leave - on payments ranging from €225 to €270 per week.

A number of employers here - including the civil service - already pay their employees in full while on maternity.

But this rule will see either the State or private employers footing the extra maternity payments for the private sector

The decision, by a 390-192 vote of the European Parliament, marks the start of months of wrangling with governments which say the move is unnecessary and unaffordable and could discourage the employment of young female workers.

Today’s vote had been delayed for an “impact assessment” of the MEPs’ plan. The resulting report put the extra cost in a sample of 10 EU countries at €121.18bn between now and 2030.

But Portuguese Socialist Edite Estrel, the MEP who led calls for a tougher maternity leave regime than even the European Commission proposed said the costs were “minimal”, insisting: “This is a great day for new parents and good news for our economic future in Europe.

“It has been a hard-fought battle and we must now negotiate with EU ministers to make these improvements a reality.

“Europe needs more children to safeguard its economic future. Instead of penalising women for having children, we need to support them and help them to balance work and family life.”

She insisted the extra public costs were “minimal".