Patrick Nulty (Dublin West, Independent) | Oireachtas source

The amount of time allocated for this debate is ridiculous given that the Dáil will not even be sitting next week. I hope people watching our proceedings are aware of that.

I am happy to support the very moderate amendment proposed by Deputy Creighton and her colleagues, although I believe this section should be removed in its entirety. If one wants a demonstration of the patriarchal nature of Irish politics, one need only look at this section and its deliberate targeting of expectant mothers with a reduction in maternity benefit for the vast majority of them. As with many other sections in this Bill, it is indicative of what has been happening since the outset of the crisis, namely, the gradual erosion of people's protections and security under the social welfare system. I cannot understand how the Minister can bring forward a measure of this nature. Most people will find it quite bizarre that she proposes to cut maternity benefit. We cannot consider this Bill in isolation from the Government's capacity to generate revenue, which it has failed to do, in the overall budgetary process. I give my qualified support to Deputy Creighton's amendment but I ask the Minister to withdraw the section.

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