Men say paid paternity leave and more flexible working conditions would allow them to share more equally the burden of childcare and household work
MEN FEEL more flexible working conditions should be introduced to allow them to get involved in childcare and household work, according to an Irish Times/Behaviour Attitudes poll on men.
A large majority (74 per cent) say paid paternity leave and more flexible working conditions should be introduced to allow men to become more involved in child-rearing.
This desire by men for greater involvement in the running of the family extends to their views on single fathers.
They overwhelmingly believe (85 per cent) that single fathers should have the same rights in relation to their children as single mothers. Support is strongest among younger men.
Raising children
Men are relatively traditional in their approach to the family unit.
The vast majority (77 per cent) believe children fare better if they are brought up in a household with a father and mother. Just 11 per cent - mostly young men - feel it does not make any difference. The vast majority of men believe couples who are both working should equally share the role of looking after children.
Some 85 per cent agree that child-rearing duties should be shared. Perhaps surprisingly, middle-aged men are much more likely than younger men to share this view.
Despite this, more than half of men believe a woman should accept that her children are more important than her career.
A total of 56 per cent of men agree with this opinion, with middle-aged and older men much more likely to agree. For example, 45 per cent of 18-24s feel a woman should accept her children are more important than her career, rising to 70 per cent among those aged 65 and over.
Cheating on partners
The vast majority of men say they are faithful to their long-term girlfriends or wives - but not all.
A total of 12 per cent of men admit to having had another sexual relationship while still with their current partner.
Younger men, too, are much more likely to have "cheated" on their partner (19 per cent of 18-24s and 17 per cent of 25-34s) compared to older men (10 per cent of over-65s).
This desire for stable relationships is reflected in poll results which show that most men believe in long-term monogamy within a relationship.
A total of 64 per cent say they agree with monogamous relationships, while just 7 per cent disagree.
The remainder do not offer an opinion.
That said, the freedom of single men is something envied by a large proportion of men overall.
Almost 50 per cent of men feel single men have a better life, while just 19 per cent disagree.
Younger men are much more likely to agree that single life is better (69 per cent) compared to those in their 40s and 50s (46 per cent).
Sexual partners
Most men say they have had up to three sexual partners in their life.
A total of 18 per cent say they have had between four and six, while 9 per cent say they have had between seven and 10 partners.
Some 7 per cent say they have not had any sexual partners.
Men in their 20s and 30s are most likely to have had the most partners, while the over 65s are most likely to have had the least.
When it comes to same-sex experiences, a total of 4 per cent of men say they had a relationship with a man.
Younger men are much more likely to have had a same-sex experiences (8 per cent of 18-34s) compared to older men (1 per cent of those aged 55-plus).
Housework
Many women may be a little surprised to find that men claim to be a house-proud bunch.
Some 38 per cent of men say they share housework equally with their partner.
Just 15 per cent of men say they do more housework than their partner, while 38 per cent concede that their partner does more.
In all, more than half of men say that they either share the housework equally or do more than their partner - a statistic likely to be hotly contested by wives and girlfriends around the country.
Younger men are most likely to say they share housework equally with their partner. Almost half (48 per cent) of those aged 25-34 say they share housework equally.
Breadwinners
Polls results also indicate that men are relatively comfortable with equality of the sexes and their new role in society. For example, most men disagree with the statement that the man should be the main breadwinner in a household.
Those most likely to disagree are men aged 24-44. Perhaps surprisingly, younger men aged 18-24 are more likely to agree that the man should be the main breadwinner.
Women and politics
While men in the main agree they should not necessarily be the breadwinner, there appears to be a perception that the political system favours women.
For example, men are more likely to feel the political system benefits women rather than men.
A total of 17 per cent believe the political system benefits men more, while almost twice that number (35 per cent) believe it benefits women more.
The future for men
Men are split on the issue of whether it is still a man's world. However, there seems to be unease over the prospects for men in future generations.
When asked whether the future is brighter for boys than for girls, more men disagree (32 per cent) than agree (24 per cent). A large proportion said they didn't know (39 per cent). Younger men are least likely to agree that the future is brighter for young boys, or that it is still a man's world.
Attitudes to sex
On attitudes to sex, just over half of men believe more liberal attitudes to sex today are a good thing. Most feel it has been an equally good thing for both sexes.
A large majority of men (77 per cent) believe it is a good thing for couples to live together before they decide to marry. The numbers in favour are highest among younger and middle-aged people. When asked whether single fathers should have the very same rights in relation to their children as single mothers, a large majority (85 per cent) agree.
Same-sex marriage
Men appear to be split on the issue of same-sex marriage. A total of 37 per cent agree with same-sex marriage, while 38 per cent are opposed. Support is highest among younger men. Perhaps surprisingly, support is higher among 25-34s compared to 18-24s, a trend reflected in other social issues where younger men have more conservative views than those in their mid-20s and 30s. On same-sex adoption, support falls to 26 per cent, with a similar pattern of support across age groups.