Gerry Adams (Louth, Sinn Fein)
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724. To ask the Minister for Social Protection if he will consider relevant parents of babies born before 1 September 2016 for inclusion under the provisions of the Paternity Leave and Benefit Act 2016. [25260/16]

Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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The introduction of paternity leave and paternity benefit was originally announced as part of Budget 2016. At the time of the announcement, the Government gave a commitment that paternity leave and benefit would be introduced from September 2016.

The Paternity Leave and Benefit Act 2016 states that paternity leave and benefit is available for births or adoptions, where these occur on or after 1 September 2016.

The Department of Justice and Equality who have responsibility for paternity leave consulted with employer representative bodies on the introduction of paternity leave on the basis that the new entitlement would commence in September. Employers have been working and preparing to cater for paternity leave on that basis.

My Department has been allocated €5 million for paternity benefit from September until the end of the year. Picking a date prior to September would require additional money, which has not been allocated to the Department of Social Protection’s Revised Estimates for 2016.

In light of previous consultation, the preparations employers have made, and the limited budget allocation for paternity benefit in 2016, it would therefore not be possible to commence paternity leave and benefit prior to September.