Róisín Shortall (Dublin North West, Social Democrats) | Oireachtas source

Can I raise a question? I know the amendment was not moved but there are concerns that intending parents will be asked to substitute the role of the State social welfare system in respect of illness benefit under the current wording and that notwithstanding these concerns, any differential between the State supplement and the surrogate's salary should be the responsibility of the intending parents. We raised at the briefing that there are issues about exactly what will happen in those early weeks and potentially months after the child is born and the interactions with the welfare system and things such as parental leave and that sort of thing. There just is not clarity on that from my perspective.