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SOME 7,000 FATHERS have availed of the paternity benefit scheme since it was introduced last September.
The initiative allows fathers to take two weeks off work to help care for their newborns, while receiving a payment of €230 per week.
Up to the end of January, 8,184 applications for the scheme had been received, with 6,851 of these being accepted.
Social Protection Minister Leo Varadkar said the number of claims received to date is broadly in line with his department’s estimation that it could receive between 20,000 and 30,000 applications annually.
Paternity benefit has the same qualifying PRSI conditionality as maternity benefit. It is only payable to employees and self-employed people who have the required number of PRSI contributions. Paid maternity leave of 26 weeks is offered to mothers.
No plans for mandatory system
Speaking in the Dáil recently, Varadkar said: “It is important to note that the legislation ensures no statutory obligation on an employer to continue to pay the normal salary during paternity leave. Employers have the option of providing a further top-up to the father’s regular salary if they so choose.
In drafting the legislation we had to be conscious, in this regard, of limiting the potential additional costs for business. However, a number of employers do top up their employees’ paternity benefit in much the same way as they offer to top up maternity benefit.
“There are a number of factors that determine the take up of any new scheme including, parental choice, whether the father or relevant parent has sufficient PRSI contributions, whether they are self-employed and can afford to take the time off from their business and, if an employee, whether or not their employer would top up their wages.”
Varadkar added that he has no plans to introduce a mandatory system of paid paternity leave.
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Great initiative, a cynic might suggest the Church supplanted pagan holy days with Christian ones and now the neo liberals are doing similar with our revolutionary past but I think we need to celebrate the Easter Revolution with family fun days.
@Jarlath Murphy: A cynic might say that there’s feck all happening outside the pale.
@Brian MacCarthaigh:
The people putting events on in the city are people who live or work in their areas that are giving their time for free to do it. There is nothing stopping people outside Dublin doing the same thing. You can’t wait for things to be handed to you, you have to get up and do it yourself. Moaners get little done.
@john smith so do government mouthpieces
@John Smith: No, this is organised from the top down.
I’m unsure which I dislike more, the grey religious drudgery of yesteryear’s Easter or the ideologically right-on enforced joviality of this. Here’s a tip: lose the ideological bits and focus on the fun.
@8bitplebian:
But you mentioned two ideologies before asking for no ideology? It only becomes ideological when you make it so. Here’s a tip, stop mentioning ideology and focus on the fun.
@John Smith: That’s quite cantankerousky phrased. I suggest you attend the talk on masculinity to work on your delivery.
@8bitplebian:
I don’t take suggestions from confused people on the internet. It was cantankerous on purpose, because your original comment was, in itself, cantankerous.
Amagine getting dragged to “A range of talks on women’s role in Irish society – and how that’s changed and evolved over the years in city hall.” we may as well discuss now modern kitchens appliance spearheaded men’s total conquest of the kitchen area.
As for “controversial Garda commissioners”, how many days does that run? I have only ever known one type of commissioner. Have we ever demoted a commissioner back down to traffic.
It is important to celebrate our culture, hope it’s a good day.
@leartius: Its like winter in Cavan, as if Paddy’s day isn’t good enough that we have to make egits of ourselves every bank holiday weekend. Feck it, I have some spuds to plant…!!
It should be noted that Tallaght is part of our capital, and it has a wealth of events for this day. The library, Rua Red and the Civic Theatre all have loads of events happening, for the kids and the adults. If you are in the area drop on by, events start at 10 am and run until after dark. Tallaght is a vibrant community filled with wonderful people doing amazing things for art and culture, so come down and enjoy the fun. A great day across the country to share our sense of community.
We’re great at celebrating ourselves – the nicest people in the worild. Everyone loves us because we’re great craic…
Sounds like the usual half arsed efforts…merry-go-rounds, ballons and ice cream/burger vans…who’d be bothered.
With the Irish name you’d think it was what is perceived but Bollywood? We have the festival of world cultures every year for that. Were they afraid to marginalise others? Yea I can see India now doing just the same for us.
@leartius: I’d say ur pretty safe from being “dragged” there, stone age man isn’t exactly their target audience. ;)
It might be an idea for An Taoiseach to break the link between the church event of Easter and the 1916 rising. Tying a historical event to a particular religion’s feast day, that is determined by the full moon, is utterly irrational. High time to put 1916 on the calendar on the annual anniversary of the day the proclamation was read and let that be that.
@John Considine: That is true, but don’t you know that the Grinch would come along and steal easter for its own purposes.
More money spent on short termism instead of creating worthwhile outdoor facilities which could provide permanent enjoyment for everyone.
Ah yes more of our licence fee pee’d against a wall, but its okay, there’s nothing like a paean to the masses every once in a while.
Everyone will be cutting their lunch s. For back to work Tuesday
I don’t think there’s anything happening withing 100 miles of me. Typical really.
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