This Men’s Health Week, and ahead of Father’s Day, Irish former professional footballer Shane Long ,Richie Sadlier and others togged out for Team Dad to launch Movember’s “Extra Time with Dad” report. The report reveals that dads in Ireland lose up to three-quarters of their average weekly income when taking state paternity leave. The current payment is €299.00 per week. Movember is appealing to the Government to establish a Paternity Leave Working Group to examine key barriers and opportunities, including length of paternity leave, payment rate and workplace culture.
The report finds more than six in 10 (67%) experience financial strain while on paternity leave while less than two in 10 (16%) were able to depend solely on the state payment. It establishes that one in five dads in Ireland took no paternity leave whatsoever, whether provided by the State or their employer.
Above Shane Long (l-r4th ),Richie Sadlier (3rd l-r ), join fathers from Drogheda and Laytown as they tog out for Team Dad to launch Movember’s “Extra Time with Dad” report at Sullivan and Lambe Park in Drogheda
Beyond the financial burden, the Extra Time with Dad report confirms inadequate paternity leave has significant health impacts and makes a compelling public health case for expanding it. Fathers who took paternity leave overwhelmingly report positive health outcomes for themselves, their partners and their children. Around eight in 10 (85%) fathers report benefits for their partner’s recovery, for their confidence as a parent (82%), reduction in family stress (80%) and positive benefits to their mental health (79%). In addition, among those who did take leave, eight in every 10 (80%) said it helped them to bond with their child.
Movember is calling for meaningful reform of paternity leave in Ireland and is appealing to the Government to establish a Paternity Leave Working Group to examine key barriers and opportunities including length of paternity leave, payment rate and workplace culture.
