Only around half of fathers are using their full paternity leave entitlements, according to findings released by the Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission along with the Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI), reports RTE.
The study estimates that just 26% of eligible fathers whose children were born in 2021 took paternity leave, in contrast to 69% of eligible mothers who did so.
The research reviewed the period from 2019 to 2022. The report highlights that the Covid-19 pandemic might have influenced the patterns of parental leave usage, reports RTE.
A potential reason for reduced usage could be that lockdowns enabled more remote work, which may have allowed parents to juggle childcare with job responsibilities more easily.
Income-related issues were frequently mentioned in the study, particularly the flat-rate nature of state payments, which may not be sufficient for higher earners who do not receive supplementary pay from employers, reports RTE.
Ireland’s provision of paternity and parent’s leave for fathers falls below the OECD average, and paternity leave remains notably shorter than maternity leave in the country.
Paternity benefit refers to a payment during a two-week leave period, while parent’s benefit covers a longer leave (currently seven weeks, rising to nine weeks from August 2024), allowing both parents to care for their child in the first two years.
Most mothers take the full 26 weeks of paid maternity leave offered, and those receiving a top-up from their employer tend to take slightly longer leave than those who do not receive any top-up, reports RTE.
While unpaid maternity leave is not officially tracked, the ESRI approximates that just under one in three mothers take this option.
Fathers earning higher wages, and thus more likely to receive top-ups from their employers, were found to be more inclined to take paternity leave, reports RTE.
Leave uptake was also greater among employees in larger companies, where staff cover during absences is more feasible.
A survey experiment showed strong support for fully covering fathers’ earnings while they are on leave, and for designating a portion of parental leave exclusively for fathers.
Since maternity leave tends to be much longer, it can create financial burdens for employers, reports RTE.
Although more women are participating in the workforce in Ireland, a substantial gender pay gap remains, largely due to fewer women working full-time and more in part-time roles.
This disparity often emerges after childbirth and continues through a woman’s career, reports RTE.
The report notes that significant differences in leave entitlements between men and women have reinforced a more traditional split of caregiving roles within households. It argues that extending leave for fathers could help balance domestic responsibilities more equally.
The ESRI also identified data limitations, which constrained aspects of the research, reports RTE.
For instance, analysis involving same-sex couples wasn’t possible due to small sample sizes.
Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission Chief Commissioner Liam Herrick said the fact that women do far more care and care work, paid and unpaid, than men plays a significant part in women’s lower economic status in Ireland, reports RTE.
“To address persistent, structural inequality between women and men, Ireland must find a new relationship between paid employment, care work and gender roles,” he said.
“This report robustly demonstrates the need for effective and gender equitable child related leave schemes, and where policy efforts should be focused to greatest effect”, reports RTE.
Dr Claire Keane of the ESRI, who co-authored the report, said it underscored the importance of child-related leave policies in addressing gender inequalities in the workplace.
“By implementing the recommended policy changes, Ireland can make significant strides towards achieving greater gender equality and supporting both mothers and fathers in balancing work and family responsibilities,” she said, reports RTE.
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