Louise O'Reilly (Dublin Fingal West, Sinn Fein)
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211. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the first- and full-year cost of doubling the provision of paternity leave benefit to four weeks. [31206/25]

Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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Paternity Benefit is a payment for employed and self-employed people who are on Paternity Leave from work who satisfy certain PRSI contribution conditions. It is currently paid for two weeks at €289 per week.

Any decision to extend the period of Paternity Leave for employees is a matter for my colleague, the Minister for Children, Disability, and Equality who has policy and legal responsibility for the scheme. The Department of Social Protection has responsibility for the associated benefit. An extension of this leave would require careful consideration and consultation with relevant stakeholders.

The estimated cost in the first year - from now until the end of 2025 - would be €24.6 million, an additional €8.2 million on the current projected expenditure.

Extending Paternity Benefit by two weeks, from two weeks to four weeks at the current rate of €289 would result in an estimated additional annual cost of over €16.4 million with a new total annual cost of some €32.8 million.

I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.