Men's health charity 'Movember' is urging the government to review paternity supports, they are asking for an established Paternity Working Leave group to examine the key barriers.
Currently, the state paternity benefit is €299 per week for two weeks. The men's health charity found that when fathers take the paternity leave they are losing out on three-quarters of weekly average income.
Movember has released a campaign entitled 'Extra Time With Dad' ahead of Father's Day and Men's Health Week to raise awarness about the lack of time father's are granted to spend with theur newborns and urge the government to provide better supports for fathers.
According to the study, "Ireland’s allocation of two weeks paternity leave is the minimum possible under EU law and lags well behind many European counterparts."
The research has also found that Ireland is fifth from the bottom in the EU in regards to providing paid support for new fathers.
Earlier this month Ugo Monye and Troy Deeney were joined by dads and their children from across the UK to launch the new report by having a kick around in a Westminster park. They aimed to "kick up a fuss" about the lack of paternity support. On the day, they fathers and their children played a football match for exactly 10 minute, with each minute representing a day of paternity leave. After the 10 minutes was up all of the dad's were benched and the children continued playing.
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The report found that 82% of fathers say that better paternity leave is the biggest thing the government could do to help men's mental health and 42% of fathers in the UK have experienced symptoms of depression and anxiety in their baby's first year. Dr Zac Seidler, Director of Research at Movember, said: "The weeks after a baby is born are unlike any other moment in a man’s life. He is motivated to be present, to be healthy, to show up. If we support him, with time, financial security, and connection, we can set him on a trajectory of better health that lasts decades. If we send him back to work after two weeks, sleep-deprived, financially stretched, and feeling guilty, we establish a very different trajectory. The evidence is clear. The ask is reasonable. The moment is now."
The study also found that seven in ten participants who took paternity leave experienced financial strain and half of those who had taken paternity leave said that if they had of taken more time it would have put their career progression at risk.
Movember Country Manager Sarah Ouellette said: "Dads who take paternity leave report better mental health, stronger bonds with their child, and greater ability to support their partner. When fathers are supported, families benefit. Ten years on, Ireland still lags behind Europe."
"We are calling on Government to act, beginning with the establishment of Paternity Leave Working Group bringing together key stakeholders to address this whole-of-society issue," she continued.
