Peter Mathews (Dublin South, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank the House for giving me a brief opportunity to echo what I said on Committee Stage, that maternity benefit is a qualitative as well as a quantitative salutation or encouragement for the role of motherhood. To reduce it to fiscal algebra or arithmetic is a backwards step. Motherhood is a wonderful role which society can endorse and support through maintaining maternity benefit.

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