Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 8 February 2005
440 Mr. P. McGrath asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the paternity leave which is provided for in law, from employers to fathers, prior to, during and after maternity confinement; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3860/05]
View answerWhile there is no statutory entitlement to paternity leave, many employers in both the public and private sectors have arrangements in place providing short periods of paid paternity leave. Section 16 of the Maternity Protection Act 1994 (as amended) entitles the employed father of a child to leave in the event of the death of the mother within 24 weeks of the birth of a living child.
Paternity leave was considered in the context of a review of the Parental Leave Act 1998 conducted by a working group chaired by my Department. The working group comprised the social partners, relevant Departments and the Equality Authority. The report of the working group on the review of the Parental Leave Act 1998 was published on 29 April 2002.
The working group considered paternity leave taking into account the following issues: reconciliation of work and family life and balanced participation of men and women in work and family life; cost to employers; comparative situation in EU member states. While acknowledging that a statutory arrangement to provide an entitlement to time off for fathers at the time of childbirth would enhance arrangements for the reconciliation of work and family life, the working group could not reach consensus on the issue.
Subsequently, no agreement was reached on paternity leave by the social partners in the context of the negotiations on the Sustaining Progress partnership agreement. In the absence of a consensus among the social partners the Government does not propose to provide for a statutory entitlement to paternity leave.
