Maternity leave in Ireland: how long, when to start, and your rights
Every pregnant employee in Ireland has the right to maternity leave, from day one in the job. Here are the rules, the deadlines and the protections, as set out by Citizens Information.
Updated October 13, 2026 · sources checked October 13, 2026
In short
Every pregnant employee in Ireland can take 26 weeks of maternity leave plus up to 16 weeks of additional unpaid leave, whatever her length of service or hours. At least 2 weeks must be taken before the end of the week the baby is due, and 4 weeks after. Give your employer 4 weeks' written notice with a medical certificate.
The rules in one table
| Rule | What the law says |
|---|---|
| Maternity leave | 26 weeks |
| Additional maternity leave | Up to 16 more weeks, starting straight after the 26 weeks, unpaid |
| Who | Any pregnant employee, full-time, part-time or casual, with no minimum service |
| Before the birth | At least 2 weeks before the end of the week your baby is due (and you may start earlier) |
| After the birth | At least 4 weeks |
| Notice of leave | At least 4 weeks, in writing, with a medical certificate |
| Notice of additional leave | At least 4 weeks before it starts (can be given with the first notice) |
| Notice of return | At least 4 weeks, in writing |
| Pay from your employer | Not required by law; check your contract |
| State payment | Maternity Benefit for the 26 weeks, if your PRSI qualifies |
The law is the Maternity Protection Acts 1994 and 2004. Since 3 July 2023, the same rights apply to transgender men who are pregnant or have given birth and hold a gender recognition certificate.
When your leave must start
The end of the week is normally Saturday night, so the latest start is the Sunday 2 weeks before the end of the week your baby is due. Citizens Information's example: a baby due on Friday 25 June 2027 means a latest start of Sunday 13 June 2027. You can start earlier, and if your doctor certifies that you must stop earlier for medical reasons, your leave starts on that date with no other notice.
Before your leave: time off and safety
- Antenatal appointments: paid time off for every medical visit linked to your pregnancy, including travel time. Give 2 weeks' written notice and a doctor's note confirming the pregnancy. Paid time off for medical visits continues for up to 14 weeks after the birth.
- Antenatal classes: paid time off for one set of classes, except the last 3 in the set, once over all your pregnancies in employment. A father has a once-off right to the 2 classes immediately before the birth.
- Risk assessment: your employer must assess risks to you while you are pregnant, after the birth and while breastfeeding, and remove them or move you. If neither is possible, you get health and safety leave, with normal pay for the first 3 weeks.
- Long hours and nights: the HSE does not recommend working more than 40 hours a week, especially in the third trimester. If your doctor certifies that night work may damage your health, your employer must find you day work or give you paid leave.
If things do not go to plan
Your baby arrives early. If your baby is born before your planned start date, you get 26 weeks from the birth plus extra leave equal to the gap. If your baby comes more than 4 weeks before the due date, tell your employer in writing within 14 days of the birth.
You become seriously ill. Since 20 November 2024, you can postpone your maternity leave for between 5 and 52 weeks if you need ongoing treatment for a serious health condition, physical or mental, certified by your doctor. Give 2 weeks' notice and a medical certificate.
Your baby is in hospital. After at least 14 weeks of leave, including 4 weeks after the birth, you can ask to postpone the rest for up to 6 months and go back to work. Your employer can refuse. The remaining leave starts within 7 days of discharge. You can postpone for illness or for hospitalisation, not both.
Stillbirth. If your baby is stillborn (23 weeks of gestation or more, or at least 400 grams, since 16 September 2024), you are entitled to the full 26 weeks and the 16 additional weeks.
Ordinary illness. Maternity leave is one continuous block: you cannot pause it for ordinary sickness.
Your rights during and after leave
- You are treated as being in employment: annual leave keeps building up, and you get any public holidays that fall during your leave.
- You return to the same job, under the same contract, with any improvements made while you were away.
- Breastfeeding: you may take time off or work fewer hours without loss of pay while breastfeeding, for up to 2 years (104 weeks) after the birth.
- Dismissal linked to pregnancy or maternity leave is unfair dismissal. If a dispute cannot be solved with your employer, complain to the Workplace Relations Commission within 6 months.
What the evidence says about leave
A 2018 systematic review of OECD countries in the Milbank Quarterly found that longer job-protected paid leave improved women's economic outcomes and appeared to reduce infant mortality, with breastfeeding as one possible mechanism. Planning your full leave is not a luxury.
Sample notice letter
Dear [manager], I am writing to give notice that I intend to take maternity leave. My baby is due on [date], as confirmed by the attached medical certificate. My maternity leave will start on [date]. I also intend to take [number] weeks of additional maternity leave. Please could you complete form MB2 for my Maternity Benefit claim. Kind regards, [name]
Your checklist
Our Having a Baby in Ireland guide includes a full leave planner and the month-by-month checklist.
Questions parents ask
Is maternity leave paid in Ireland?
Your employer does not have to pay you unless your contract says so, though many top up. The State pays Maternity Benefit, €299 a week as of October 2026, for the 26 weeks if you have enough PRSI contributions. The 16 additional weeks are unpaid.
Do I need to have worked a minimum time to get maternity leave?
No. The right to maternity leave does not depend on how long you have worked for your employer, or on whether you work full-time, part-time or casual hours. Maternity Benefit depends on your PRSI record, not on your time with the employer.
Can I take annual leave after maternity leave?
Yes. You keep building up annual leave during maternity leave and additional maternity leave, and you are entitled to any public holidays that fall during it, so many mothers add annual leave at the end.
Can my employer give my job to someone else?
You have the right to return to the same job under the same contract. If that is too difficult, your employer must offer suitable alternative work on terms that are not less favourable, including any pay rises given while you were away.
Sources
- Citizens Information — Maternity leave (Maternity Protection Acts 1994 and 2004) checked October 13, 2026
- Citizens Information — Antenatal visits (time off for appointments and classes) checked October 13, 2026
- HSE — Working during pregnancy checked October 13, 2026
- Nandi A et al. (2018), Milbank Quarterly — Parental and medical leave policies and health outcomes in OECD countries, systematic review (PMID 30277601) checked October 13, 2026
Mamavela explains; it does not replace your midwife, doctor or pediatrician, who know your situation. If something worries you, call them. In an emergency, call 911 (US), 999 (UK) or 112.