There has been a broad welcome of new plans to extend parental leave to both parents.

It has been announced parents will get seven weeks paid leave during the first year of their child's life.

The Government is to extend the scheme over the coming years by 2021.

The National Women's Council of Ireland (NWCI) has welcomed the move.

Its director Orla O'Connor said: "We... welcome the introduction of 14 weeks paid parental leave as a first step.

"Going forward paid parental leave should be further increased to in order to allow mothers and fathers to care for their new baby during the first 12 months at home, without taking into account the parents' annual leave entitlements."

"(Children's) Minister Zappone's creation of a whole of government approach draws attention to other crucial care and gender equality issues that NWCI has long campaigned on.

"The strategy outlines a commitment to a maximum of 14 weeks paid parental leave by 2021 for working parents, in addition to maternity and paternity leave.

"This is moving in the right direction but needs to be further increased to allow parents to take care of their child during the first year at home without taking into account the parents' annual leave entitlements."

'Formative first year'

Speaking before the launch, Social Protection Minister Regina Doherty said: "I was particularly pleased to recently introduce a new parental benefit scheme which will allow both parents to access an additional two weeks leave in the first year of their child's life.

"Over the coming years, it (is) the Government's intention to extend this entitlement to seven weeks per parent.

"This initiative allows us to respond to the vital need to support parents of young children and recognises the formative nature of the first year of a child's life."

Minister Doherty also announced plans to establish a pilot programme for a hot meals scheme in DEIS primary schools, to provide hot dinners for up to some 7,200 children.

If successful, it could be extended on a wider basis.

Speaking to Pat Kenny, Minister Doherty explained how the new maternity and paternity entitlements will work.

"So currently we have 26 weeks maternity leave, we have two weeks paternity leave - and recently in the budget I announced that we are introducing a new paid parental leave scheme.

"The memo went to Government a couple of weeks ago to draft the legislation, so I'd hope to see it very early in the new year.

"So next year we're going to introduce two weeks: so the ambition then is every year thereafter until we reach seven weeks, per parent non-transferable will bring the total cumulative paid leave for parents to 42 weeks.

"I think where the speakers' yesterday were alluding to is that when you add maybe annual leave to that, it will bring us close enough to 52 weeks - which is the recommendation in the Early Years strategy.

"But what we're trying to do is is to make life easier for families, and to recognise the value of them staying at home with their babies for those first formulate months".