Inquiry into leave for bereaved fathers not entitled to paid paternity leave

Social Protection Minister Leo Varadkar is to investigate claims that bereaved fathers are not entitled to the new paid paternity leave.

Speaking at a meeting of the Joint Oireachtas Committee yesterday, Sinn Féin’s John Brady highlighted what he said was a “serious anomaly” in the current system.

Mr Brady said under the scheme, mothers can avail of two weeks of the payment when parents experience a bereavement and lose their child unexpectedly after 24 weeks, but fathers currently cannot, and have to return to work.