487. Deputy Shónagh Ní Raghallaigh asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if she plans to raise paid paternity leave to eight weeks to improve the lives of young families and facilitate the relationship between fathers and their newborns. [66354/26]

503. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality to confirm that consideration will be given to increasing paid paternity benefit and leave to eight weeks; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [66623/26]

513. Deputy Ann Graves asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality to consider increasing paid paternity leave from two to eight weeks, as Ireland currently lags far behind our European neighbours when it comes to supporting fathers in the early weeks of their child's life, with countries like Spain offering nineteen weeks, Finland offering over six months of shared leave, and Norway 15 weeks. [67008/26]

I propose to take Questions Nos. 487, 503 and 513 together.

There have been significant developments in entitlements for parents of working families in recent years. The Government is committed to supporting workers, including by extending paid leave for parents to allow them to spend more time with their child during their earliest years.

The Paternity Leave and Benefit Act 2016 provides the relevant parent (other than the mother of the child) with 2 weeks paid Paternity Leave. Ireland's statutory Paternity Leave arrangements are fully aligned with the requirements of the EU Work-Life Balance Directive, which introduced a minimum standard for Paternity Leave across EU Member States. International comparisons show that arrangements vary across Europe. However, Ireland's leave entitlement is similar to that available in Italy and the United Kingdom which offer 10 working days and up to two weeks respectively. Germany does not currently provide a dedicated statutory paid Paternity Leave entitlement, with parents instead availing of broader parental leave provisions.

Under the Parent’s Leave and Benefit Act 2019, working parents are now entitled to nine weeks of paid Parent's Leave for each relevant parent, to be taken in the first two years after the birth or adoptive placement of a child. Parent's Leave is an individual separate entitlement and is non-transferable between parents.

Under the Parental Leave (Amendment) Act 2019, an employee who is a relevant parent in respect of a child under the age 12 is entitled to 26 weeks’ unpaid Parental Leave for each child. Where a child has a disability or long-term illness, the entitlement can continue until the child is 16. A relevant parent is a parent, an adoptive parent, or a person acting in ‘loco parentis’. Both parents have an equal, separate entitlement to Parental Leave.

The Work Life Balance and Miscellaneous Provisions Act 2023 was enacted on 4 April 2023, and introduces important entitlements for workers, including leave for medical care purposes for parents of children under 12, and the right to request flexible working for parents and carers. It transposes the Work-Life Balance Directive which specifically prevents the transfer of paid leave between parents in the interests of gender equality and of encouraging fathers as well as mothers to take such leave. Otherwise, there is a risk that only mothers would take the leave, potentially creating labour market disadvantages for them and that fathers would not be encouraged to take a greater share of caring responsibilities.

A key priority in First 5, the whole of Government Strategy for babies, young children and their families (2019-2028) is to support parents to look after their babies at home for the whole of their first year given the benefits of parental care in that first year for children’s outcomes.

Family leave provisions are kept under review to ensure that they are effective and respond to the needs of families and are also mindful of the impact of the leaves on workplaces.

The Programme for Government - Securing Ireland's Future commits to examining the extension of Parent's Leave and Benefit and additional flexibilities. The new National Strategy for Women and Girls 2025-2030 was published on 18th November 2025. The first Action Plan under the new Strategy was published on 5th August 2026 and includes actions to support working families in balancing the competing demands of family and work. Any initiatives in relation to Paternity Leave will be considered within this context.