Who uses Paternity leave to improve their Golf game?!

jon1981

https://www.irishtimes.com/news/politics/new-parents-to-get-two-weeks-paid-leave-in-this-year-s-budget-1.3452166

“International experience shows men have to be made take the paternity leave. Men are taking it here but using it to go play golf.”

I find this quite offensive to men if i'm honest. If this happens, it happens on a micro scale. Nothing more than sh*t stirring journalism in my view.

Or am I mixing in the wrong circles and this actually is the norm?!

Ugh.

the_pen_turner

why do they play golf. im sure its a hobby. im sure they find it relaxing . its good for their physical health adn mental health.

would anyone say anything if a father went for a cycle or a run.

would anyone say anything if a mother went to the cinema, relaxing walk, spa day, clothes shopping.
no they wouldnt

the father isnt going to the masters for a week. he is going for a few hours doing his hobby.

Amirani

the_pen_turner wrote: »

why do they play golf. im sure its a hobby. im sure they find it relaxing . its good for their physical health adn mental health.

would anyone say anything if a father went for a cycle or a run.

would anyone say anything if a mother went to the cinema, relaxing walk, spa day, clothes shopping.
no they wouldnt

the father isnt going to the masters for a week. he is going for a few hours doing his hobby.

Exactly this. Anyone who views paternity (or maternity) leave as spending 24/7 with the newborn is a frigging moron.

Now obviously golfing holidays or the likes would be taking the piss, but playing a game or 2 across the few weeks off is completely normal.

seamus

Although strictly speaking it's in the legislation that the paternity leave is for the purposes of helping raise the child, so if you are treating it as a short holiday...

That said, I imagine the number of people who can find the time or energy to go play a round of golf when there's a newborn in the house is tiny.

I wonder who that "Government source" is.

jimgoose

"Po-faced dunderhead whining to ministers, of all people, about people shnaking the odd 18 holes when they're not supposed to!" :pac::pac::pac:

cnn27

I know many fathers who have taken what miserable paternity leave is available to them (often unpaid) and none of them have ever seen it as an opportunity to play golf, or use it for anything other than to spend time with their new baby. This is completely disgraceful reporting, and is the reason why paternity leave isn't being taken seriously. I've emailed the Irish Times to complain and would urge others to do so as well. If they're going to mention a comment like this in their article, they should at least investigate if it's true or not, instead of hiding behind an anonymous government source. I know male-bashing is popular these days, but comments like this actually affect fathers building relationships with their newborn children and is disgraceful.

jon1981

the_pen_turner wrote: »

why do they play golf. im sure its a hobby. im sure they find it relaxing . its good for their physical health adn mental health.

would anyone say anything if a father went for a cycle or a run.

would anyone say anything if a mother went to the cinema, relaxing walk, spa day, clothes shopping.
no they wouldnt

the father isnt going to the masters for a week. he is going for a few hours doing his hobby.

Agreed on all this, cycling is my thing, so I got out for a few hours to clear the head. But this article is purely trying to create this stereotype around men using Pat leave to have the craic!

MayoSalmon

Father uses paternity leave to go for a lunchtime run....would they ever fook off

Riskymove

Minister for Social Protection Regina Doherty says she is trying to bring up the numbers of fathers taking the leave they are owed, and she rubbished media reports Dads take the two weeks leave to play golf.

She said: "I need to get that 60% uptake up to the kind of number that women are taking maternity leave at which is 91%.

"I have absolutely no evidence that anybody in Ireland is taking paternity leave to do anything other than to look after their children."

https://www.irishexaminer.com/breakingnews/ireland/new-plans-could-see-parents-with-an-extra-two-weeks-paid-parental-leave-836051.html

jon1981

Riskymove wrote: »

Minister for Social Protection Regina Doherty says she is trying to bring up the numbers of fathers taking the leave they are owed, and she rubbished media reports Dads take the two weeks leave to play golf.

She said: "I need to get that 60% uptake up to the kind of number that women are taking maternity leave at which is 91%.

"I have absolutely no evidence that anybody in Ireland is taking paternity leave to do anything other than to look after their children."

https://www.irishexaminer.com/breakingnews/ireland/new-plans-could-see-parents-with-an-extra-two-weeks-paid-parental-leave-836051.html

Wouldn't be in the interest of a journalist to lead with the reality unfortunately.

tayto lover

I see nothing at all wrong with a father playing a few rounds of golf while on Paternity leave.
I also doubt that any Minister mentioned it either. Paper never refuses ink.

GreeBo

I'm about to take paternity leave and I'm almost certain that I will play golf during that time. Mostly because I like to play golf and what with having a new baby and all, I probably wont get to do that much of it afterwards. I wouldnt in any way consider that I will be using paternity leave to play golf, I will just happen to play golf while on paternity leave.

I'm sure I will also go shopping.
I'll probably walk the dog too.
That grass isn't going to cut itself either.

The far more annoying thing is that my wife wont be able to take full maternity leave and what with me only getting 2 weeks, our newborn will be forced into some sort of creche (granny or otherwise) much earlier than we would like.

But hey, lets not get up in arms about that.

dtipp

cnn27 wrote: »

I know many fathers who have taken what miserable paternity leave is available to them (often unpaid) and none of them have ever seen it as an opportunity to play golf, or use it for anything other than to spend time with their new baby. This is completely disgraceful reporting, and is the reason why paternity leave isn't being taken seriously. I've emailed the Irish Times to complain and would urge others to do so as well. If they're going to mention a comment like this in their article, they should at least investigate if it's true or not, instead of hiding behind an anonymous government source. I know male-bashing is popular these days, but comments like this actually affect fathers building relationships with their newborn children and is disgraceful.

It's a ridiculous comment (that new dads are using the time to go play golf), but so is yours.

The idea that the media should not report quotes unless they have checked them to make sure whatever is claimed is 100% accurate is daft.

appledrop

Disgraceful article. I have just sent a letter of complaint to Irish Times. I expect more from this paper.