Paternity Benefit in Ireland: how much is it and how do you apply?

Here is how much Paternity Benefit is in 2026 and 2027, who can take paternity leave and how to apply, from Citizens Information and gov.ie, both checked on 9 October 2026 and updated for Budget 2027.

How much is Paternity Benefit in Ireland?

Paternity Benefit is €299 a week in 2026, paid for the 2 weeks of paternity leave, so €598 in all. Budget 2027 raises it by €10 to €309 a week from January 2027, or €618 for the 2 weeks. It is taxable, but you do not pay USC or PRSI on it.

Paternity Benefit	A week	For the 2 weeks
2026	€299	€598
From January 2027	€309	€618

If you have dependants, your Paternity Benefit is compared with the Illness Benefit you would get, including the increases for your family, and you are paid whichever is higher. In the Citizens Information example for 2026, a dad on the standard €299 whose partner is signing on for credits, with 2 children under 12, gets €538.60 a week.

The payment goes into your bank or building society account. If your employer keeps paying you in full, they may ask for it to be paid to them instead.

Who can take paternity leave in Ireland?

Paternity leave is for the relevant parent: the father of the child, the spouse, civil partner or cohabitant of the mother, or the parent of a donor-conceived child. It is open to same-sex couples. You can take it from full-time, part-time or casual work, however long you have worked there.

When a couple adopts, one parent takes adoptive leave and the other can take paternity leave. If you adopt alone, you can take paternity leave if you are not taking adoptive leave.

It is worth planning for. Movember Ireland's Extra Time with Dad report (June 2026) found that 1 in 5 dads in Ireland took no paternity leave of any kind when their baby was born, and it puts Ireland fifth from the bottom in the EU for support for new fathers.

Do I have enough PRSI for Paternity Benefit?

As an employee, the simplest test is at least 39 weeks of PRSI paid in the 12 months before your paternity leave starts. Class A, E, H and S contributions all count. If you fall short, two other tests look at the relevant tax year, which for leave in 2026 is 2024. Self-employed people need 52 weeks of Class S.

As an employee you need one of these:

• At least 39 weeks of PRSI paid in the 12 months before the first day of your paternity leave.
• At least 39 weeks paid since you first started work, and at least 39 weeks paid or credited in the relevant tax year or the tax year after it. For leave in 2026 those years are 2024 and 2025.
• At least 26 weeks paid in the relevant tax year and at least 26 weeks paid in the tax year before it. For leave in 2026 those years are 2024 and 2023.

If you are self-employed, you need 52 weeks of Class S contributions paid in the relevant tax year, the tax year before it or the tax year after it. You can also count employee contributions from before you became self-employed, and the other way round.

If you worked in another EU country before, that insurance record can count towards Paternity Benefit, as long as you now work in Ireland and your most recent PRSI was paid here.

When can I take paternity leave?

You can start your 2 weeks of paternity leave at any time in the 26 weeks after the birth or adoption placement. The 2 weeks must be taken together, and Paternity Benefit cannot start before the birth or the due date. Twins or more still give one 2-week period.

You can postpone your leave if the birth is later than expected, if an adoption placement is delayed or if you are sick before your leave starts. If your baby is in hospital, you can postpone your paternity leave and Paternity Benefit, or what is left of them, for up to 6 months.

Many couples plan those first weeks together. In Lullagram you invite your partner with a code from the Menu, and feeds, sleep and nappies logged on either phone show up on the other straight away: how sharing the baby tracker works.

How do I apply for Paternity Benefit?

Apply online at MyWelfare.ie at least 4 weeks before your leave starts, or 12 weeks before if you are self-employed. You need a verified MyGovID and a Public Services Card. Upload form PB2, which your employer fills in to certify your leave, or form PB3 from a doctor if you are self-employed or not working.

1. Tell your employer in writing that you are taking paternity leave, with your dates, at least 4 weeks before it starts. Give them a certificate from your partner's doctor with the due date, or the date of birth if the baby has arrived.
2. Your employer fills in form PB2 to certify your leave. If you are self-employed, you certify your own leave and a doctor fills in form PB3 with the due date or date of birth.
3. Apply on MyWelfare.ie and upload the PB2 or PB3. gov.ie says qualifying online claims can be awarded in a matter of seconds, and you can track your claim there.
4. Cannot apply online? Ask the Paternity Benefit Section for form PB1 and post it with your PB2 or PB3.

Do not leave it late: gov.ie warns that not applying within 26 weeks of your baby's birth may mean losing the benefit. You can holiday abroad during your 2 weeks and still be paid, but tell the Paternity Benefit Section before you go.

Does my employer have to pay me on paternity leave?

No. Your employer does not have to pay you while you are on paternity leave, but your contract of employment may give you more. Some employers top up Paternity Benefit to your normal pay, or keep paying you in full and ask for the benefit to be paid to them. Check your contract to see what applies to you.

You have the right to return to the same job on the same contract after paternity leave, and the law protects you from penalisation and unfair dismissal for taking it. If you have a dispute with your employer, raise it with them first. You can then complain to the Workplace Relations Commission, normally within 6 months.

What if I already get a social welfare payment?

You may get half-rate Paternity Benefit if you already get One-Parent Family Payment, a Bereaved Partner's Pension, or Death Benefit by way of a Bereaved Partner's or Dependent Parents' Pension. Working Family Payment carries on alongside it if you meet the rules for both, and if you care for someone full time you may also get half-rate Carer's Allowance.

What happens after a stillbirth or a premature birth?

If your baby is stillborn any time after the 23rd week of pregnancy, or weighs at least 400 grams, you are still entitled to paternity leave, and to 2 weeks of Paternity Benefit if you have the PRSI. Send a letter from your doctor with your application giving the due date, the date of birth and the weeks of pregnancy.

If your baby is born early, before your leave was due to start, and you want to change your dates, send the Paternity Benefit Section a letter from your employer with the new dates and your baby's date of birth. If you are self-employed, send your own letter with the new dates and a letter from a doctor or the hospital confirming the date of birth.

How does paternity leave fit with maternity leave and parent's leave?

Paternity leave is 2 weeks for the second parent in the first 6 months. The mother's maternity leave is separate. On top of both, each parent can take 9 weeks of paid parent's leave in the child's first 2 years, and parental leave gives up to 26 weeks of unpaid leave to look after a child under 12.

Our maternity leave and Maternity Benefit guide covers the mother's leave and how to apply, and the Budget 2027 guide for parents has the January 2027 rates for all the family leave payments.

Who do I contact about Paternity Benefit?

Contact the Paternity Benefit Section of the Department of Social Protection by email at paternityben@welfare.ie, or call 0818 300600 or 074 9164496. For free help with your claim, call the Citizens Information Phone Service on 0818 07 4000, Monday to Friday, 9am to 8pm, or visit your local Citizens Information Centre.

Postal applications go to the Paternity Benefit Section, Department of Social Protection, McCarter's Road, Buncrana, Co. Donegal, F93 CH79. If you disagree with a decision on your claim, you can appeal to the Social Welfare Appeals Office within 60 days of getting it.