Mothers in Ireland are entitled to 26 weeks of fully or partially paid leave, along with the option for up to 16 weeks of unpaid leave. Furthermore, each parent is granted an additional nine weeks of leave, which must be taken before the child turns two.
In total, a fully employed new mother in Ireland can remain home with her baby for at least the first year. If they are fortunate enough to secure a spot, the child can then attend a creche.
According to current EU legislation, maternity leave—which encompasses both prenatal and postnatal periods—must extend for a minimum of 14 weeks with compensation equal to or exceeding the national sick pay level. Each EU country, however, establishes its own maternity leave regulations beyond these basic requirements.
Germany is recognized for its generous policies. Mothers can take up to three years off after childbirth, with guaranteed job security. The decision regarding the length of leave rests solely with the mother, without any input from employers.
Despite this flexibility, most women tend to return to work after an average of 14 months. Financial factors contribute significantly: in the first year, new mothers receive 65% of their salary, capped at €1,800 per month, but this amount decreases substantially afterward.
To enhance their work-life balance, many German women opt for reduced hours upon returning, a common and well-accepted practice.
This level of flexibility makes Germany “a good place to raise a child,” remarks Julia Stolley, a 34-year-old mother of three from Hamburg.
She went back to full-time work after a year spent at home with her children.
Julia Stolley believes Germany’s flexibility makes it a good place for raising children.
While she appreciates her overall experience, Ms. Stolley mentions that longer prenatal leave for twin pregnancies would have been beneficial.
Commuting two hours daily via public transport during late pregnancy proved increasingly challenging. In Germany, expectant mothers are required to stop working at least six weeks prior to their due date, compared to just two weeks in Ireland.
German children can enter state-subsidized childcare facilities, or kindergartens, starting at 12 months old. Unlike in Ireland, where mothers hurry to secure creche spots as soon as their pregnancy is confirmed, German families cannot apply until after their baby is born.
Applications are centralized through a state-run platform, where creche managers evaluate submissions and reach out to families directly.
In addition, parents in Germany receive €250 monthly in child benefits (kindergeld) until their child turns 18, contrasted with €140 in Ireland.
Limited time to “bond with baby” for French mothers
In France, new mothers in the private sector are entitled to 16 weeks of paid maternity leave—six weeks prior to birth and ten weeks afterward. A portion of the prenatal leave can be transferred into the postnatal period.
An additional year of parental leave is available but offers little or no financial support.
Nathalie Blanchard, a teacher from Baillet-en-France near Paris, extended her paid leave with three months of minimally paid additional leave, allowing her to stay home with her son Tristan for five months.
Despite this, she found the transition back to work exceedingly challenging.
“I cried the night before,” she remembers.
Nathalie Blanchard found returning to work extremely difficult.
Immediately returning to full-time hours post-maternity leave felt abrupt for the young mother. If financially feasible, Nathalie would have preferred to stay home longer.
While she values France’s free healthcare for mothers and babies, she believes women aren’t afforded “enough time to bond” with their children. Flexible work arrangements are also tough to negotiate.
Fathers in France are entitled to 25 days of paternity leave, surpassing the two weeks given to Irish fathers.
Childcare can be an additional hurdle in France. Finding a spot in a public creche is notoriously challenging, while private daycare facilities are costly. Availability fluctuates by region, with some areas offering as few as six spots per 100 children.
For Nathalie and her husband, employing a nanny proved to be the best solution. Given their teaching schedules and extended summer breaks, they only need to compensate for 38 weeks of care annually, making it a feasible choice.
France does not offer child benefits for the firstborn, while families with two children receive just over €150 monthly.
Insufficient protection for women on precarious contracts in Poland
On the other side of the EU, Polish mothers face distinct challenges. They are entitled to a full year of leave consisting of 20 weeks of maternity leave at full pay, followed by 32 weeks of parental leave at 70% salary.
However, many Polish women work under “contracts of services” or so-called “trash contracts,” which provide no maternity protections.
Media producer Olga Galecka, a mother to eight-month-old Sylwester, is among the 2.4 million Poles working under insecure conditions.
Olga considers herself “lucky” with her job, stating that her employer has been “very understanding.” An informal agreement exists for her to return to work later this year. Legally, though, Olga currently has no job following her last short-term contract’s conclusion last year.
Olga Galecka with her eight-month-old child Sylwester.
Polish families can choose from public and private creches, with the latter accounting for 75% of childcare options. Monthly fees range from €200 to €500, with public daycare being more budget-friendly. Families receive €190 monthly in child benefits.
Grandparents and extended family members frequently play a crucial role in childcare, and they can even receive €360 per month from the government for caring for their relatives’ children.
Gender-neutral approach in Scandinavia
Other EU countries adopt similar patterns featuring partially paid and unpaid leave for both mothers and fathers.
The Nordic countries remain notable for providing the most generous and flexible setups.
Sweden champions a gender-neutral approach, using the term “parental leave” in place of maternity leave. Both parents can share a total of 480 days of leave, compensated at 80% of their salary.
Each parent is required to take at least 90 days—far exceeding the maximum of 14 days of paternity leave granted in Ireland. Parents may also take unpaid leave until the child reaches 18 months.
Norway and Finland offer progressive parental leave systems that include specific quotas set aside for fathers.
While Ireland’s maternity leave is competitive with other EU nations, Irish fathers still lag in terms of entitlements. Achieving greater equality in parental leave could be a vital next step toward enriching family life, ensuring that the duties and joys of early childcare are genuinely shared.
