Mayo candidate proposes paternity leave expansion

A COMPELLING motion advocating for an extension of paternity leave from two to four weeks, and for greater encouragement and awareness regarding the benefits of paternity leave, was presented at the Fine Gael Ard Fheis over the weekend in Galway.

Westport Fine Gael local election candidate Keira Keogh emphasised that paternity leave should not be considered a luxury or a nice thing to do for fathers. “It's a necessity.”

She cited research highlighting the positive impact that active parenting from fathers in a baby’s early development creates, including stronger emotional bonds and improved parenting relationships.

Currently in Ireland, paternity leave is paid for two weeks and is available for any child born or adopted on or after September 1, 2016. Paternity leave can start at any time within the first six months following the birth or adoption placement.

Ms. Keogh proposed to see paternity leave extended to four weeks, with potential for further increases in future.

Increasing the duration of paternity leave is an important step, but she acknowledged that it is not sufficient alone. We also need to increase the uptake by fathers, which stands at a low 38%, according to Minister Neale Richmond, and while this is an increase, it is still a strikingly low uptake at just over one third.

Factors that can influence this are both practical and cultural. A practical barrier is the payment rate of €274 per week. In the current climate €274 p/w is often insufficient and financial constraints can prevent men from taking their full paternity leave.

There are also social norms and workplace cultures that discourage men from taking their entitled leave.

Ms. Keogh is passionate about gender equality and mentioned how paternity leave supports gender equality by challenging stereotypes and traditional norms and promotes a more equitable distribution of parental responsibilities.

As well as the suggested legislation change from two to four weeks, she said: “It's vital that we challenge this disrepute further by fostering a culture change that encourages and supports more men to take their full entitled paternity leave.”

Caitriona Bergan, a fellow candidate from Leitrim, seconded the motion sharing personal anecdotes of her four brothers who all have children, but none took their paternity leave. Minister Richmond acknowledged that while he hadn’t taken his own paternity leave, he expressed optimism about the rising trend.

The motion received unanimous support from all in attendance at the session 'Best start for every child', with many calling for more than four weeks and an increase to the payment.

Keira looks forward to Fine Gael pushing for these crucial changes.