Frank Fahey (Galway West, Fianna Fail)

The Parental Leave (Amendment) Bill is the third of three key items of legislation promoting work-life balance which the Government committed to implement under the Sustaining Progress agreement. I am pleased that it has been possible to implement each of those legislative commitments in full, although I agree with the Opposition that it has taken much longer than it should have.

Significant improvements to maternity leave provisions were implemented by the Maternity Protection (Amendment) Act 2004 which was commenced on 18 October 2004. The adoptive leave provisions for working parents were also greatly improved by the Adoptive Leave Act 2005 which was commenced on 28 November 2005. The duration of adoptive and maternity leave, both paid and unpaid, has increased significantly. The duration of paid adoptive and maternity leave was increased on 1 March 2006 to 20 and 22 weeks respectively, with additional unpaid adoptive and maternity leave increasing to 12 weeks. My Department has also put legislation in place to give effect to a further round of increases on 1 March 2007 which will bring adoptive leave to 24 weeks' duration and paid maternity leave to 26 weeks. The duration of additional unpaid adoptive and maternity leave will also be increased by a further four weeks to 16 weeks on 1 March 2007.

I thank the Members for their contributions to the debate on this Bill. As Deputies will be aware, the Parental Leave (Amendment) Bill implements the commitments which have been made in Sustaining Progress partnership agreement which limited the scope for amendments in this Bill given the requirements to adhere to the agreements reached between the social partners. I thank the Ceann Comhairle, the Leas-Cheann Comhairle, Members of the House and my departmental staff for their work on this Bill.

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