471. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Social Protection if he will outline the estimated cost to the Exchequer of extending paid paternity leave from two weeks to eight weeks; whether such costings have been prepared by his Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53643/26]
Topics / Paternity Leave
A subject heading for parliamentary questionsPaternity Leave
71 questions from 27 TDs, between 20 May 2025 and 21 October 2026.
71
questions
71 written, 0 oral
27
TDs have asked
8
parties and groups
Independents counted together
3
departments asked
Questions per month
The record holds no questions for August, when the Dáil does not sit.
Jan 2025Oct 2026
Show as a table
| Month | Questions |
|---|---|
| January 2025 | 0 |
| February 2025 | 0 |
| March 2025 | 0 |
| April 2025 | 0 |
| May 2025 | 1 |
| June 2025 | 2 |
| July 2025 | 6 |
| August 2025 | 0 |
| September 2025 | 1 |
| October 2025 | 1 |
| November 2025 | 2 |
| December 2025 | 0 |
| January 2026 | 0 |
| February 2026 | 4 |
| March 2026 | 5 |
| April 2026 | 9 |
| May 2026 | 2 |
| June 2026 | 5 |
| July 2026 | 8 |
| August 2026 | 0 |
| September 2026 | 23 |
| October 2026 | 2 |
Who asks, by party
The party each TD belonged to on the day, in alphabetical order. Parties differ a lot in size, and members of the Government answer questions rather than ask them, so this shows who raised it, not how much a party cares about it.
The TDs who asked most
Members of the Government answer questions rather than ask them. Each question counts once.
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14
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8
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Asked of
The questions
636. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality to set out whether her Department has conducted or intends to conduct any review of the current two-week paid paternity leave entitlement, with particular reference to international best practice and the evidence supporting longer periods of leave for fathers; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [53638/26]
637. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the rationale for maintaining the current two week paid paternity leave provision in circumstances where a number of EU member states have significantly expanded entitlements for fathers; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [53639/26]
638. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if her Department has examined the potential social, economic and health impacts of extending paid paternity leave to eight weeks, including impacts on child development, maternal recovery, workplace retention; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [53640/26]
639. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if she will provide details of any engagement her Department has had with stakeholders, including employer groups, trade unions and family advocacy organisations, regarding proposals to extend paid paternity leave; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [53641/26]
640. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if she will confirm whether her Department has developed or intends to develop a timeline for reviewing or expanding paid paternity leave entitlements; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [53642/26]
641. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if she will report on any analysis undertaken by her Department regarding the uptake of paternity benefit since its introduction; whether this data informs consideration of an extended leave period; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [53644/26]
642. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if she will consider piloting an extended paternity leave scheme or phased increase in entitlements, in line with international developments and domestic demand; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [53645/26]
690. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality whether increasing the current entitlement to paid paternity leave from two weeks is under consideration by her Department; whether any review of paternity leave arrangements is underway; the measures being examined to strengthen supports for fathers and families in the early months following the birth or adoption of a child; and if s…
92. Deputy Roderic O'Gorman asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if her Department has considered the recommendations in relation to reform of paternity leave in a report (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [47424/26]
93. Deputy Roderic O'Gorman asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if she will establish a paternity leave working group to examine key issues including length of paternity leave, payment rate and workplace culture; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [47423/26]
613. Deputy Eoin Hayes asked the Minister for Social Protection the estimated cost of extending paternity leave by two weeks; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45035/26]
614. Deputy Eoin Hayes asked the Minister for Social Protection the estimated cost of extending parental leave by two weeks; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45036/26]
947. Deputy Ryan O'Meara asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the plans to expand paid surrogacy leave to parents of new-born children born through surrogacy, either within Ireland or abroad; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [38744/26]
775. Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if she plans to extend the length of paternity leave from its current two weeks to eight weeks; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32630/26]
269. Deputy Roderic O'Gorman asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if she plans to extend the length of paternity leave from its current two weeks; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [27810/26]
2373. Deputy Erin McGreehan asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if she will consider extending statutory paternity leave beyond the current two-week entitlement, in light of evidence showing the benefits of longer, dedicated paternity leave for child development, maternal recovery and gender equality; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [23971/26]
2374. Deputy Erin McGreehan asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if her Department has conducted any assessment comparing Ireland’s two-week statutory paternity leave entitlement with more extensive paternity or partner leave provisions in other EU countries; and if she plans to bring forward proposals to align Ireland more closely with international norms. [23972/26]
2375. Deputy Erin McGreehan asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the current uptake rates of both paternity leave and parent’s leave, and whether her Department has identified any barriers, financial or otherwise, that prevent fathers or partners from availing fully of their entitlements; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [23973/26]
2376. Deputy Erin McGreehan asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if her Department has carried out analysis on the economic, social, and workplace impacts of extending statutory paternity leave beyond two-weeks; if she will publish such findings; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [23974/26]
2377. Deputy Erin McGreehan asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if she will consider measures to support employers, particularly SMEs, when employees take paternity leave or parent’s leave; whether this could form part of a broader strategy to increase uptake of family leave supports; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [23975/26]
2398. Deputy Timmy Dooley asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality her plans to extend paternity leave to at least eight weeks; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [24091/26]
2404. Deputy Aisling Dempsey asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if she plans to increase paid paternity leave from two to eight weeks; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [24229/26]
2561. Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality to consider legislating to extend paid paternity leave to eight-weeks from the current two-weeks; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [26515/26]
666. Deputy Keira Keogh asked the Minister for Social Protection the measures his Department is taking to support parents in the early stages of a child's life with regard to paternity leave; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21796/26]