There has been a broad welcome for legislation being discussed by the Government today, which will see fathers entitled to two weeks paid paternity leave.
Fathers will be entitled to the paternity benefit at any stage during the first 26 weeks of their child's life and can apply from September of this year.
Until now, Ireland has been lagging behind most other European countries by not having paternity leave enshrined in employment law.
Dr Evelyn Mahon is a Sociologist at Trinity College Dublin. She says this legislation is an acknowledgement by the State of the changing role of fathers in the family:
Fathers will be able to take paternity leave at any stage during the first 26 weeks of their child's life.
These men in Dublin had mixed views on the issue:
Paternity leave will be paid at a rate of €230 a week, which is the same as maternity benefit, and based on the same PRSI contribution requirements.
Director of Start Strong, Ciairín de Buis, says while this is a step in the right direction, the issue of paid parental leave, which would be split between a mother and a father, needs to be addressed by the Government:
