New enhanced maternity allowance for women councillors introduced
A NEW ALLOWANCE for councillors on maternity leave has been announced by the government as part of an enhancement to the scheme introduced in 2022.
The Minister of State for Local Government and Planning at the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage, Kieran O’Donnell TD, announced new regulations which provide that a councillor, who is eligible for maternity leave, can now avail of an administrative support allowance.
The allowance for administrative support amounts to a maximum of €240.14 per week, enabling the individual engaged by the councillor to work for up to 13 hours per week.
The allowance is to cover expenses incurred by female councillors to maintain basic office duties and provide other secretarial or administrative duties, for a period of up to 42 consecutive weeks.
“The new allowance introduced means that a councillor who is eligible for maternity leave, and who chooses not to nominate a temporary substitute councillor under the 2022 Act , will be able to engage someone on a temporary and part-time basis to assist her with her administrative and office work”, said Minister O’Donnell.
The allowance may also be claimed by councillors who were eligible for maternity leave in the months since the enactment of the 2022 Act.
“I am very pleased to introduce this allowance which is another important step in meeting the needs of women councillors. This allowance is one of a range of measures aimed at promoting the participation of women in local government, and is made available in support of family friendly practices in local authorities”, concluded Minister O’Donnell
The Local Government (Maternity Protection and Other Measures for Elected Members in Local Authorities) Act 2022 came into force on 21 December 2022. The Act gave, for the first time, a statutory entitlement of maternity leave to local councillors, addressing a significant obstacle to the participation of women in local government.
Under the 2022 Act, councillors who take maternity leave may also nominate a temporary substitute to undertake their role and duties for a maximum of 42 weeks, in line with the statutory leave afforded to employees.