Giving parents priority when it comes to annual leave requests would mean a “constant one way flow of generosity”, Ciara Kelly has said. 

Freelance journalist Rhiannon Picton-James has urged workplaces to prioritise the holiday requests of those staff members who have children. 

Writing in the i Paper, Ms Picton-James lamented that her husband’s “small team is full of child-free colleagues who often book the school holidays off”. 

As a result, the family often cannot go away together and Newstalk Breakfast presenter Shane Coleman thinks she “has a point”. 

“I just think it’s worth being generous to people who need to take time off to look after their kids,” he said. 

“I just think that’s something employees should take into consideration but our listeners definitely don’t agree.” 

Girl and mother getting ready in bathroom. Picture by: Connect Images / Alamy.com.

Fellow presenter Ciara Kelly said she strongly disagreed. 

“I think everyone should be treated equally in the workplace,” she said. 

“But what you do in your personal life, I don’t think that should come into the workplace because I think that kind creates unfairness.” 

When Shane asked Ciara if she would cover for him if he had an urgent appointment, Ciara said she “absolutely” would - but doing someone a favour is different to having a two-tiered system. 

“Let’s just suppose that I would have loved to have been a parent but wasn’t able to be a parent and you always got the holidays that I would quite like because you were,” she said. 

“It’s different as a one off here and there and we’re flexible and supportive and all of that but I think as a rule I don’t like it.”

A child playing with a relative. Picture by: Andor Bujdoso / Alamy Stock Photo

Ciara added that parenthood lasts a long-time and that parents should not expect preferential treatment for nearly two decades. 

“They’re going to have children for 18-years,” she said. 

“It’s going to be a constant one way flow of generosity.” 

One listener texted in to say their work life balance is already suffering because of the flexibility given to colleagues with children, “Parents are already entitled to so much, as a childless teacher, I’m sick of parents taking time off and being shafted with their work.’” 

A father and his son. Picture by: Alamy.com.

Another texter claimed childless people were better employees. 

“If parents get preferential treatment in choosing their holiday time then can we extend that to nonparents getting preferential treatment in terms of jobs and promotions?” they wrote. 

“Seeing as they have more time available to give to work.” 

It is illegal to discriminate against someone because they are the parent of a child. 

Main image: Ciara Kelly in the Newstalk studio. Image: Newstalk