Maternity & Parental Leave Pay
Work out what you'll be paid on maternity, paternity, parent's, adoptive or parental leave in Ireland for 2026 — full pay if your employer tops up, or the €299/week State benefit — plus how many weeks are paid vs unpaid. Updates as you type.
2026 figures. The State benefit rate is €299/week (taxable, but not liable to USC or PRSI); you must have enough PRSI contributions to qualify. If your employer does not top up, the Maternity Benefit is all you receive during the paid weeks; the additional weeks shown are unpaid. Employer top-up policies differ — check your contract. Not financial advice. Verify current rates at citizensinformation.ie.
Related
See your normal take-home pay, read the HSE maternity leave guide, or the full HSE leave entitlements guide.
Frequently asked questions
- How much is maternity pay in Ireland in 2026?
- Maternity leave is 26 weeks with Maternity Benefit of €299 per week (2026 standard rate), plus up to 16 further weeks that are unpaid. Many employers — including the HSE for its own staff — top up to full salary for the 26 paid weeks and offset the benefit, so you receive your normal pay. Without a top-up, the €299/week benefit is what you get.
- How long is paternity and parent’s leave?
- Paternity leave is 2 weeks (within 6 months of the birth). Parent’s leave is 9 weeks per parent, until the child turns 2. Both carry a State benefit of €299/week (2026), and some employers top these up to full pay.
- Is parental leave paid?
- No. Parental leave is 26 weeks per child (up to age 12) and is unpaid, with no State benefit — it is separate from paid maternity, paternity and parent’s leave. Employers are not required to pay it.
- Is family-leave benefit taxed?
- Maternity, Paternity, Parent’s and Adoptive Benefit are taxable (income tax applies), but they are not liable to USC or PRSI. If your employer tops up to full pay, normal PAYE, USC and PRSI apply to your salary as usual.