Hildegarde Naughton (Galway West, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

608. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the number of persons who have availed of paternity benefit since it was introduced on 1 September 2016, by county, in tabular form. [43181/18]

Regina Doherty (Meath East, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

Paternity benefit was introduced from 1^stSeptember 2016 and provides a payment in respect of two weeks paternity leave to be taken within 26 weeks of the birth of the baby.  In the period from the commencement of the scheme up to the end of September 2018 a total of 48,806 people have availed of this leave and have been awarded and paid paternity benefit.

The table shows a breakdown by county of paternity benefit claimants for the period 1^stSeptember 2016 up to end September 2018, the latest period for which detailed statistics are available.

PATERNITY BENEFIT Claimants by County Breakdown

I hope that clarifies the matter for the Deputy.