3,500 dads take up paternity benefit

More than 3,500 Dads have been approved for the new entitlement of paternity benefit.

The scheme was launched on September 1st offering new Dads 230 euro a week for a fortnight. 

The Department of Social Protection also says the number of applications almost doubled between September and October as awareness of the entitlement grew. 

Of the 3,575 claims, most were from employees, with 267 from the self employed. 

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