Emmet Stagg (Kildare North, Labour)
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Question 313: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform his views on the issue of paternity leave; and if he has had discussions with the Department of Social and Family Affairs on the issue. [6772/10]

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 can confirm that officials from my Department have had discussions on the matter with the Department of Social and Family Affairs.

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. The possibility of introducing an entitlement to paternity leave has recently been raised at EU level at the European Parliament in the context of a review of maternity leave entitlements. My Department continues to examine the issue of maternity, parental and paternity leave, taking into account also developments at EU level.