Róisín Shortall (Dublin North West, Labour)

We are talking about paternity benefit. Entitlement would be based on the person's insurance record, which comes within the remit of the Minister's Department. I do not see the difficulty in establishing that entitlement, just as entitlement may be established in respect of any other social welfare payment. That is what the commitment in the programme for Government is about. Parents are seeking a provision for paid parental leave, however small to begin with, which they can take within a few months of a baby being born. That is the time when couples experience most pressure. I see no difficulty in establishing that entitlement. Given the commitment in the programme for Government, the Minister should lead the way on this. It is not necessarily a question of providing the same type of entitlement as already exists in respect of maternity benefit but of at least providing a small amount of paternity benefit for those early weeks of a child's life.

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