Employment relations minister Jim Fitzpatrick (pictured) has set out new paternity leave proposals designed to give working parents more choice in their caring responsibilities.

Fitzpatrick said: "We know that people want greater flexibility to better juggle their work and family life and that fathers increasingly want to play a bigger part in the upbringing of their children."

"If a mother wants to return to work before her child's first birthday, the father will be able to take some, or all, of the second half of the child's first year as paid paternity leave. For the first time ever, this will give parents the flexibility to divide a period of paid leave between them. Parents will be able to decide how to best balance work and family commitments.”

The consultation sets out proposals on the administration that will give fathers the opportunity to choose to take up to 26 weeks additional paternity leave to care for their child if certain conditions are met, including the mother returning to work.

The government wants feedback on whether the parents should be able to self-certify themselves as eligible for the scheme, how it would work best in practice and whether checklists and official forms would provide employers with the confidence to administer the scheme effectively.