Joan Collins (Dublin South Central, People Before Profit Alliance) | Oireachtas source

Taking maternity leave is not a choice but a need. It is about preparing for the birth and, afterwards, adjusting to having a new child. The Minister expected to make €14 million a year by taxing maternity. It is a bad choice and there were no calls for such a tax. It is a cut for a woman who had a child three years ago and will have another this year. The Minister might as well have reduced maternity benefit payments, as it is six of one and half a dozen of another. He should consider reversing this decision in the forthcoming budget. It would be a significant relief for women in receipt of this payment and would mean they could spend money on their children in the economy. This is what maternity benefit was given for in the first place.

See this speech in context