Paternity Leave

Paternity Leave Entitlements:

With effect from 1st September 2016, registered teachers are entitled to a single period of 2 consecutive weeks paid paternity leave. This leave is available to a relevant parent on the birth/adoption of a child, where the date of birth/day of placement falls on or after 1st September 2016.

Paternity Leave may commence at any time from the date of birth or date of placement of the child to 26 weeks thereafter.

Applying for Paternity Leave:

There are 2 steps involved in applying for Paternity Leave:

Step 1:
The relevant parent must notify their employer of their intention to take paternity leave not less than 4 weeks before the commencement of such leave and provide their employer with the following:

In the case of a birth:

• A copy of the medical certificate from a registered medical practitioner confirming the pregnancy and specifying the expected date of birth of the child concerned, or
• A copy of the birth certificate where notification is given after the birth.

In the case of an adoption:

• A declaration/official placement order, or
• A copy of the placement certificate where notification is given after the date of placement

Step 2:
The relevant parent must complete the Application Form at Appendix A Circular 54/2019 - Paternity Leave Scheme - Chapter 4 as soon as possible, but no later than 7 days after the commencement of the leave and forward it to their employer with a copy of the birth certificate / official placement order for the child

Claiming Paternity Benefit

In order to claim Paternity Benefit from the Department of Social Protection Class A PRSI, contributors should complete the PB1/PB2 form and submit directly to the Department of Social Protection 6 weeks prior to the commencement date of the period of Paternity Leave.

For full details on Paternity Leave entitlements, please refer to:

• Circular Letter 0054/2019 - Leave Schemes - Chapter 4
• Information Note TC/IN 0012/2024 Amendment to the Paternity Leave Scheme for Registered Teachers employed in Recognised Primary and Post Primary Schools