premise: For women earning 22,000 a year, the total pay accumulated after six months maternity leave would be just 5,300 in the UK and 5,850 in Ireland. Entitlements in Germany would also be relatively low, at 5,900, along with those in France, Spain and the Netherlands, all at 6,750. At the other end of the scale, pay received after six months leave in Italy would be 9,150 while in Denmark and Norway it would be as much as 11,000.
hypothesis: Maternity leave varies in Europe.