Paternity leave in Ireland. Here is what you need to know.
Paternity leave is a period of absence granted to a father after the birth (or adoption) of his child. Full details are here.
Top level entitlements
As part of the Family Leave Bill new fathers are entitled to:
- Access to two weeks paid paternity leave.
- Payment will be at a rate of €230 a week (the same as maternity benefit, if the father has the right amount of PRSI contributions).
- The leave can be taken at any stage within the first six months of the birth, or adoption, of the child.
These mark the beginning of an ongoing national discussion about how fathers are treated about the birth of their children and their employment rights. There are likely to be further developments in the coming years which bring Ireland closer to other European countries regarding paternity entitlements.
Article by Alan Price, Peninsula.
