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Campaign launched to encourage parents to sign up for Paternity Benefit
Pictured from left are Chris Cassidy with baby Robyn, Social Protection Minister Leo Varadkar, Theresa Scott with baby Dan and Catherine Roche with baby Amy.
A national awareness campaign urging prospective parents to register for Paternity Benefit and explaining how to apply has been launched by Social Protection Minister Leo Varadkar.
The campaign kicks off on social media this week in advance of Paternity Benefit becoming available on September 1st. Paternity Benefit will be paid at a rate of €230 a week for two weeks, to both employees and the self-employed.
The awareness campaign informs prospective parents that they require a Public Service Card in order to apply for Paternity Benefit. And if they are an employee, they need to give four weeks’ notice to their employer to qualify for the accompanying Paternity Leave.
Minister Varadkar said:
We want to make sure that fathers- and mothers-to-be across Ireland know that they can start claiming for two weeks of paternity benefit from September 1st.
We also want to ensure that fathers know how to apply. It’s really simple, but you need to take a few straightforward steps. You’re eligible for Paternity Benefit when you take your statutory two weeks of Paternity Leave and fulfil the PRSI requirements. You can take Paternity Leave at any time within the first 26 weeks of the child’s life, or following adoption.
You need to give your employer four weeks’ notice that you’re planning to take Paternity Leave. You can then apply for Paternity Benefit online. You will also need to register for a Public Services Card – just over two million cards have been issued to date.
More information on the scheme is available at www.welfare.ie/paternitybenefit or by calling 1890 66 22 44.