In 2016 the Higher Education Authority (HEA) published a National Review of Gender Equality in Irish Higher Education Institutions (HEIs). An area of concern that was seen as a major impediment to Gender Equality in HEIs was the lack of support from research funders for the cost of maternity, paternity, parent's and adoptive leave.
To address this and support HEIs on the island of Ireland, the EPA introduced a policy to provide supplementary funding for maternity, paternity, parent's and adoptive leave for qualifying staff working on projects that are fully funded by the EPA Research Programme (NB: Green Enterprise Programme/Innovation & Demonstration Programme projects are excluded from this policy).
In general, those wishing to avail of maternity, paternity, parent's or adoptive leave will fall into two broad categories:
A. Salaried staff of HEIs with the relevant PRSI eligibility
B. Post-graduate students and salaried staff of HEIs without PRSI eligibility
The EPA will consider applications for supplementary funding for the duration of the statutory period of maternity, paternity, parent's and adoptive leave (the statutory period applicable is determined by the HEI’s location). The supplementary funding will represent the difference between the employee’s social welfare entitlement and the salary stipulated for the employee in their contract of employment.
To be eligible for consideration the host institution must be able to clearly demonstrate that:
Where a post-graduate student or employee does not meet the criteria to qualify for social welfare benefit in respect of maternity, paternity, parent's or adoptive leave, the EPA will consider applications for supplementary funding for a period of leave up to a maximum of the statutory period of leave (the statutory period applicable is determined by the HEI’s location). The supplementary funding will be equivalent to the salary stipulated for the employee in their contract of employment.
To be eligible for consideration the host institution must be able to clearly demonstrate that:
Applications for supplementary funding for maternity, paternity, parent's or adoptive leave must be submitted via the EPA's Online Grant Management and Application Portal. All applications must be made at least two months before the planned start date of leave.
Claims for payment of supplementary funding will be made at the end of the leave period subject to the certification (by the EPA’s Financial Consultants) of a completed Cost Statement. The Cost Statement must be accompanied by a written declaration from the Host Institution that the employee has taken and completed the period of leave and that the cost of that leave is in accordance with the accompanying cost statement.
Time extensions for family leave for periods of less than one month are not permitted. All applications for project time extensions will be considered on a case-by-case basis - the EPA will determine at its sole discretion whether such an extension is warranted to ensure that all deliverables of the project are met.
The recruitment of a replacement team member is only permitted in respect of applications for adoptive leave or maternity leave, and where the period of leave is greater than one month.