Arthur Morgan (Louth, Sinn Fein)
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Question 211: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform his views on whether fathers here are discriminated against by the non-availability of paid paternity leave. [39490/08]

Dermot Ahern (Louth, Fianna Fail)
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My Department, in consultation with the social partners, is examining the issue of paternity leave as part of a review of maternity, parental and paternity leave as promised in the Agreed Programme for Government and the Social Partnership agreement "Towards 2016". I expect to receive a report on the outcome of the deliberations in the near future.

The issue of the introduction of a statutory entitlement to paternity leave was examined before, in 2002, by a working group made up of representatives of the social partners and relevant State bodies, as part of the review of the Parental Leave Act, 1998. The working group could not reach a consensus on the issue.