Irish Cabinet Approves Paid Leave for Pregnancy Loss

The Irish Cabinet approved a proposal from Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment Peter Burke to draft the Leave for Pregnancy Loss Bill. The legislation introduces a statutory entitlement to five days of paid leave per year for individuals who experience pregnancy loss or undergo a certified abortion before 23 weeks of gestation. This measure closes a legal gap where maternity supports previously only began at the 23-week mark.

Under the proposed scheme, leave requires medical certification and will be paid by employers at 70% of the daily rate, capped at €110 per day. Eligibility requires a 13-week service period. The initiative is estimated to cost approximately €10 million annually, with the full cost borne by employers. The bill was informed by a government-commissioned study from the Pregnancy Loss Research Group at University College Cork and follows similar legislative models in Malta and Northern Ireland.

Minister Burke stated the measure aims to address the stigma and secrecy surrounding early pregnancy loss to ensure employees are treated with dignity. The bill is expected to receive unanimous political support in the Dáil before being formally presented to the Oireachtas.