Irish fathers currently have no legal right to paid paternity leave, unlike men in many other European countries.

Last March, paid maternity leave was extended to six months and unpaid maternity leave entitlements to 16 weeks.

But no statutory paid leave for fathers was introduced, despite lobbying by the Irish Congress of Trade Unions (Ictu) and the Equality Authority.

Fathers are entitled to 14 weeks' unpaid leave but only a minority of men can afford to take this, according to Ictu.

"The largest barrier faced by employees wanting to take parental leave is the fact that they cannot afford to. The government is out of touch with the reality of workers' lives if they think workers can survive without their wages, " said Esther Lynch of Ictu.

"Ictu is calling for the upcoming review to recognise and respond to the need for a payment and provide for the introduction of a social insurance payment . . . parental leave benefit . . . to be introduced and paid on the same basis as maternity benefit."

Public sector employers provide at least three days' paternity leave for civil servants, teachers, health service workers, gardai, prison officers and the defence forces.

However, Ictu believes that paternity leave should be a "universal right" and not dependent on where you work.

The 14-week unpaid paternity leave entitlement must be taken in six-week blocks, which is another barrier to take-up as many people cannot afford to take six consecutive weeks off work.

"Ictu is calling for a statutory entitlement to allow fathers leave at the time of and immediately after their child is born.

We believe that paternity leave offers a crucial recognition of the caring role of fathers, " Lynch said.

A spokeswoman for the Equality Authority said that, compared to France, Finland, Germany and the Netherlands, Ireland's paternity provisions were "un-family friendly."

Under the national partnership agreement, Towards 2016, the government has committed to reviewing the level of maternity and paternity leave "before the end of 2008."

Paternity leave in Europe

Iceland: Three months' paid paternity leave
Slovenia: Three months' paid leave
Finland: 18 days' paid leave
Denmark: 14 days' paid leave
France: Two weeks' paid leave
Italy: Two weeks' paid leave
UK: Two weeks' paid leave
Sweden: 10 days' paid leave
Austria: 10 days' paid leave
Romania: Five days' paid leave
Belgium: Three days' paid leave
Holland: Two days' paid leave
Luxembourg: Two days' paid leave
Ireland: no entitlement to paid paternity leave