Cormac Devlin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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329. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality if he will consider extending adoptive leave to fathers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9744/20]

Charles Flanagan (Laois-Offaly, Fine Gael)
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Section 6 of the Adoptive Leave Act 1995 provides for an entitlement to 24 weeks of paid adoptive leave for an employed adopting mother or a sole male adopter, and an additional 16 weeks of unpaid leave. Currently, adoptive leave is not available to a male same-sex couple where the couple is not married, cohabiting or civil partners, and adopted jointly. The Department of Justice and Equality is in the process of preparing legislation to address this issue and amend adoptive leave entitlement for all new fathers. 

This approach means that considerable amendment is required in the Adoptive Leave Act and to other legislation. The changes will allow all couples to choose who takes adoptive leave. The Department of Justice and Equality and the Office of the Parliamentary Counsel are presently working on this. The Government's approach is that all adopting couples should have the option of selecting the qualifying adopter.