Kathleen Lynch (Cork North Central, Labour)

I still do not understand why the Legislature cannot do something of its own accord without referring to the group conducting centralised bargaining and perhaps the Minister of State could explain it. The Opposition Deputies will need to write to those negotiating on behalf of workers in these talks and insist that a timeframe is laid down in respect of advances on parental leave. When the matter was discussed five years ago I do not believe they ever envisaged it would take so long to introduce. If they now seek increased parental leave, they will not expect it to take another five years.

While I do not mean to be rude or disrespectful, any guarantee by any Minister at this stage would be a puff of smoke. We have no guarantee that any Minister would still hold the same brief in a few months. There is no guarantee that the same Government will be in place or that the same emphasis will be placed on this issue. If the Government is convinced that the only way to do business is through centralised bargaining and will do nothing outside that process, then the only way to ensure that this change is made quickly rather than as slowly as it has been up to now may be to have it written into the partnership agreement as opposed to waiting and leaving it open-ended to be introduced by the Government.

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