The level of paid maternity and adoptive leave is set to increase from March 1st this year before increasing further in a year's time.
Paid maternity leave will increase from the current 18 weeks to 22 weeks and on March 1st, 2007, it will rise to 26 weeks. Paid adoptive leave will increase to 20 weeks and subsequently to 24 weeks over the same period.
Unpaid maternity and adoptive leave will also increase from eight weeks to 12 weeks and subsequently to 16 weeks.
"These increase significantly improve the existing leave entitlements for working mothers on the birth or adoption of their child," the Minister for Justice Michael McDowell said today when signing the orders into law.
"They will offer greater choice to parents in how they decide to care for their child in the early stages of life," he added.
