Kathleen Lynch (Cork North Central, Labour)

I understand the Minister of State's aspiration to ensure the links between maternity leave and adoptive leave are maintained on the basis that men are not allowed maternity leave. It would not be bad for men to have such leave, though not on the basis that they will eventually deliver children physically, which is clearly not going to happen. If paternity leave is going to be extended, as the Minister of State has indicated, there will be men who will take leave from employment in order to be at home at certain times after they have children of their own, rather than having adopted children. That would not be a bad thing, because after having children, women need support, in particular the support of their partners.

The paternity leave Bill has been kicked around for a long time, like an old football at training sessions. Is the Minister of State saying the Bill will be introduced in this or the next session? If not, and the deficiencies in the Bill before us are not rectified, will we be able to return to this Bill and alter it in a way which will allow men to take the sort of leave we are now extending to women? The Bill probably will be challenged if other legislation is introduced to allow men to stay at home with children if they choose.

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