Minister Regina Doherty has come under fire for suggesting that money is not the reason for the low take-up of paternity leave among fathers. Fianna Fáil’s social protection spokesman Willie O’Dea accused Ms Doherty of suggesting that men have no interest in looking after their newborns and said this is a “gross insult”.

“In my experience the vast majority of cases where people don’t take paternity leave it’s because they can’t afford it,” Mr O’Dea said.

Meanwhile, Richard Grogan, a specialist employment law solicitor criticised the minister for deciding to “play this card of men don’t want to be involved in the rearing of children” and said she should provide research to back this up. Mr Grogan said she should make paternity leave compulsory if this is what she believes.

Minister Doherty shot back at the criticism saying there’s still a perception “in much public discussion that caring is a ‘woman’s thing’ and that taking time off ‘real work’ is still a novelty for fathers”.

She argued that the remarks by Mr O’Dea and Mr Grogan “underline the resistance to any cultural change around who cares and who works and is regrettable. Ms Doherty added: “Similarly, over time, I hope initiatives like parental leave can change mindsets and, more importantly, actions – making it acceptable and possible for both parents to become actively involved in caring for their babies.”