MORE than 97 per cent of Limerick applicants for paternity benefit have had their applications accepted since the payment was introduced last December.
Responding to a Dáil question from Sinn Féin TD Sorca Clarke, Social Protection Minister Heather Humphreys said there were 5,592 paternity benefit applications from Limerick City and County of which 5,313 were approved and 145 rejected.
Paternity Benefit is a government payment for fathers who are employed or self-employed who are on paternity leave from work. It is paid for two weeks at a weekly rate of €245 and applies in respect of any child born or adopted on or after September 2016.
Latest figures from the Central Statistics Office show that 45 per cent of new fathers do not take the two weeks of paternity benefit to which they are entitled.
