Richard Bruton
Ceist:401 Mr. R. Bruton asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the cost of introducing four weeks leave for fathers at the time of the birth of a child. [19572/01]
Written Answers. - Paternity Leave.
A number of factors would have to be taken into account in estimating the cost of introducing four weeks leave for fathers at the time of the birth of a child, including the up-take and the amount of any possible payment.
Last year, 54,239 children were born and, at that time, 75.56% of males – aged between 15 and 64 years old – were in employment. Based on these figures, approximately 41,000 per annum would potentially be eligible to avail of leave in the event of the introduction of leave for fathers at the time of the birth of a child. The likely uptake of such leave would depend, inter alia, on whether or not the leave would attract a payment and, if so, what type of payment.
The uptake of the leave entitlement would also be affected by the manner in which the four week period could be taken, for example, in a block of four consecutive weeks at the time of the birth or a more flexible, broken format agreed between the employer and employee.
Any entitlement to leave would have a cost implication for employers in terms of the absence of the father from the workplace, for example, the cost of replacing the father while on leave. A monetary cost would also arise if the leave were to be paid by the employer. Employers' costs would be alleviated if payment was made on the same basis as maternity leave, that is, a payment by the Department of Social, Community and Family Affairs based on the fathers' social security contributions. The introduction of payment of this nature would also have additional cost implications for the State, in terms of the cost of putting an administration system in place for such leave.