stamp 4 eu fam - next step

Hi I have a couple of questions just looking for some advice.

I am from the UK and have been living in Ireland with my non EU husband since Feb 2014. He has the stamp 4 EUFAM for 5 years which expires next year. My questions are as following:

1) Since getting the 5 year residence card I have been on maternity leave twice, changed jobs, and had a period of 4 months unemployed where I did not go back to my job after maternity leave ended. (I am now back in employment). I did not notify INIS of any of these changes. Should I have and if so how do I go about informing them now?
2) Will the period of unemployment affect my husband getting permanent residency/citizenship? I never received any benefits apart from Maternity Benefit.
3) With Brexit looming would it be beneficial for me to apply for an Irish passport for myself? Or will this affect my husbands application as he is here under EU Treaty Rights?
4) What is the next step for my husbands application, if his RC expires in 1 year should he start the application process now?

Very grateful for any advice received! Thanks

Can anyone help with any of the above?

you said you had breaks in employment twice except the maternity period
from what month to what month you had those breaks and in what years?

I went on maternity leave twice (had 2 children) but I was only out of employment on one occasion, from June-October 2016.

1) maternity leave are count as economically active period so your cover for that on both occasions just write a cover letter from when to when you were on maternity leave.

now you said from June to October 2016 you were un employed so just put the p45 from the old employer and p60 from new employer for 2016.
for past five year they only need p45 and p60s

if you will be employed at the time your spouse will be applying for permanent residence and have proof of address you will be fine.

immigration office usually go in details and specifics when they have doubt that the entitlement is claimed by providing misleading information or fraud your case is 100% genuine you have kids together and all.
your spouse don't have to worry he have many other option as well
he can apply as parent of an irish child
you can apply for irish citizenship (you will get it in months as long as you have all proof of addresses) and then he can apply straight away as married to a then irish citizen.

Thank you. So there is no point in me applying for Irish citizenship myself unless his application gets refused?
His RC expires next year- when should he apply?

Thanks again for your help

six months before the expiration of his residence card.