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Social Welfare Benefits

Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 20 May 2026

Wednesday, 20 May 2026

Questions (178)

Emer Currie

Question:

178. Deputy Emer Currie asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of men who applied for paternity benefit; the number of women who applied for maternity benefit, in the past three years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38035/26]

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Written answers

My Department does not collate statistics on claim processing activity by characteristics such as gender, and this information is not readily available. Statistics in respect of applications are maintained for schemes as whole. For 2026 to date, there were 13,958 applications for Maternity Benefit and 10,470 registrations for Paternity Benefit.

The table below details the number of applications in the past three years 2023-2025:

Scheme

Maternity Benefit

Paternity Benefit

2023

43,253

29,177

2024

42,434

29,751

2025

42,768

30,198

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