Ivana Bacik (Dublin Bay South, Labour)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

I wish to make one final point. With Senator O'Loughlin, we have engaged with the Minister through the women's caucus on the recommendation around family-friendly practices for public representatives, in particular maternity leave for elected representatives at local and national level. I acknowledge that this is also work that is ongoing, that is within the remit of the Department and is under the Citizens' Assembly recommendation 23. I am conscious there are a number of other recommendations we have not spoken about today that we may come back to the Minister or the Department for clarification over the course of our work.

I draw this session to a close by thanking the Minister very much for his comprehensive and open engagement. I also thank Ms Duffy for engaging with us today. We appreciate them taking the time to join us and we are glad to hear the commitment on progressing the recommendations of the Citizens' Assembly, in particular, recommendations 1 to 3 on constitutional change. We look forward to engaging further with the Minister informally, and perhaps also in private session, on how best to bring about the holding of the referendum in 2023, having achieved some sort of political consensus and, indeed, legal advice on necessary wording.