Irish government publishes General Scheme of the Pregnancy Loss Leave Bill 2026

At a glance

• The Irish government has approved publication of the General Scheme of the Pregnancy Loss Bill 2026 (Scheme), which has been designated for priority drafting under the Autumn Legislative Programme.
• The proposals would introduce a new statutory entitlement of up to five days' paid pregnancy loss leave per year for employees who experience pregnancy loss before 23 weeks' gestation.
• Eligible employees would receive payment at 70% of their daily rate of pay, subject to a maximum of EUR110 per day, mirroring the statutory sick pay regime.
• Employees would need 13 weeks' continuous service to qualify, and leave would need to be taken within 56 weeks of the pregnancy loss and supported by medical certification.
• The Scheme also proposes employment protections, including protection from penalisation and automatic unfair dismissal protections linked to the use of pregnancy loss leave.

On the 14 July 2026, the Irish government approved the publication of the Scheme. The Scheme sets out the heads of the proposed Pregnancy Loss Leave Bill, which has yet to be drafted but has been designated for priority drafting under the Autumn Legislative Programme.

Ireland does not currently provide a statutory entitlement to leave in cases of pregnancy loss occurring before 24 weeks' gestation.

Under the Scheme, employees who experience pregnancy loss before 23 weeks' gestation would be entitled to up to five days' paid pregnancy loss leave per year. The leave would be payable by the employer and paid at 70% of the employee's daily rate of pay, subject to a maximum payment of EUR110 per day, in line with the statutory sick pay regime.

The proposed entitlement would apply from the commencement of employment, although employees would need 13 weeks' continuous service to qualify. The leave would have to be taken within 56 weeks of the pregnancy loss and would require medical certification confirming the loss. 

The Scheme also proposes a number of employment protections, including protection from penalisation and amendments to the Unfair Dismissals Act so that a dismissal connected with the exercise of pregnancy loss leave would be deemed automatically unfair.

The proposals remain under consideration by the government and, pending publication of the draft Bill, are subject to change.