Máire Hoctor (Tipperary North, Fianna Fail)

I do not propose to accept this amendment. Responsibility for matters relating to paternity leave rests with the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform. The question of social insurance funded payment for paternity leave would be contingent on an underlying entitlement to statutory parental leave.

The introduction of paid parental leave or paternity leave would have significant cost implications for employers and-or the Exchequer and the social insurance fund. Any proposal to introduce such payments would have to be examined with regard to its effect on the sustainability of the social insurance fund and employers' costs in terms of global competitiveness.

Under Towards 2016, the Government and social partners are committed to a review of a level of statutory entitlements to maternity and paternity leave before the end of 2008. A working group will be shortly established, led by the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform to progress this commitment. The work of the group will be informed by the commitment of the agreed programme for Government. These include increasing paid maternity leave by five weeks over the next five years, all leave after the first 26 weeks being made available to either parent and examining the introduction of a statutory entitlement to paternity leave and shared parental leave.