Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation
Dail Éireann — 2026-06-18
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Peter Roche (FG), Galway East

As the Tánaiste is aware, this is Men's Health Week. Government policy acknowledges or recognises that improving men's health has clear benefits for families, partners and children right across society. A key part of that is the experience of early parenthood. I refer to paternity leave in particular in this regard. A report this week titled Extra Time with Dad shows that Ireland is falling way behind. We provide just two weeks' paternity leave. That is the EU minimum and it ranks near the bottom in OECD terms of leave for partners. In practice, many dads face a 75% drop in income while on leave. Some seven in ten of them rely on top-ups from their employers, with a similar proportion experiencing financial strain. Does the Government acknowledge and see the need to address that deficit?

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Record URI: https://data.oireachtas.ie/akn/ie/debateRecord/dail/2026-06-18/debate/main
Retrieved: 2026-08-27T06:54:51+00:00
Sitting date: 2026-06-18