Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 618: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the entitlements in respect of paternity leave; if consideration can or will be taken to amend or increase same in line with current maternity leave entitlements; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15233/06]

Michael McDowell (Dublin South East, Progressive Democrats)
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There is currently no statutory entitlement to paternity leave. However, many employers in both the public and private sectors have arrangements in place providing short periods of paid paternity leave. Paternity leave was considered in the context of a review of the Parental Leave Act 1998 conducted by a working group chaired by my Department. The working group comprised the social partners, relevant Departments and the Equality Authority. The report of the working group on the review of the Parental Leave Act 1998 was published on 29 April 2002 and is available on my Department's website, www.justice.ie, and in the Oireachtas Library.

In considering the matter, the working group took into account the reconciliation of work and family life and balanced participation of men and women in work and family life, the cost to employers and the comparative situation in EU member states. While acknowledging that a statutory arrangement to provide an entitlement to time off for fathers at the time of childbirth would enhance arrangements for the reconciliation of work and family life, the working group could not reach consensus on the issue.

Subsequently, no agreement was reached on paternity leave by the social partners in the context of the negotiations on the Sustaining Progress partnership agreement. There are no plans at present to introduce a statutory entitlement to paternity leave.