Réada Cronin (Kildare North, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I very much agree with Dr. Bambrick's last point. The €250 flat rate is a real wall to fathers in particular being able to take that leave.

I had to leave earlier to attend another appointment so I am not sure if this question on collective bargaining has been asked. The EU directive on adequate minimum wage and collective bargaining rights will come into operation the next few months. It will then have to be transposed into Irish legislation. Is Irish domestic legislation adequate? Will the ICTU representatives comment on that? Collective bargaining is such a gender issue. I was contacted recently by a young woman. She had started a job five months earlier and was on a six-month probation. She moved department in the same company and was told that her probation would be extended. I asked if there is a union, and there is not. There is no right to collective bargaining where she works. If the right was there and there was a union representative in the company, and someone could go to a shop steward or union rep, in many cases the employer might not chance doing something like that. There was no change to her job and she was still in the same company; she had literally just moved desks and has the same manager. This is a gender issue and important one for Irish people.