"Minister Humphreys is very strongly of the view that maternity benefit needs to be very significantly increased," a government source said last week.
"These are people who pay PRSI, they're workers, and they should be encouraged to take time off to spend with their children."
A €20 weekly increase to maternity benefit would cost €19.6m, and a boost to parents' benefit would cost €6m, according to documents prepared by the Fine Gael policy office.
Fine Gael deputy leader Ms Humphreys is also keen for a new pay-related maternity benefit to form part of Fine Gael's general election manifesto.
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