Marcella Corcoran Kennedy (Offaly, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the opportunity to speak in this debate on the important Green Party motion before the House. I acknowledge the presence of parents and their children who have joined us in the Gallery to hear the debate. I reiterate the point made by my colleague, the Minister of State at the Department of Justice and Equality, Deputy David Stanton, that the Government is acutely aware of the different pressures that families with pre-term babies face and believe the State can and should support families at a time when the pressures of nurturing a new life can be daunting and stressful. The Government also believes in investing in a child's critical early years. We all know how important and life-defining these years are. For this reason, investment in early years is a recurring theme in the programme for partnership Government.

The Government will not oppose the motion and welcomes the initiative of the Deputies in question in providing us with this opportunity to highlight the issue and debate how best to respond. The Government expanded paid leave in the first year of a child's life in 2016 through the introduction of two weeks of statutory paternity leave and benefit for new fathers. The Paternity Leave and Benefit Act 2016 brought the number of weeks of paid support to parents upon the birth of a child to 28, comprising 26 weeks of maternity leave, two weeks of which must be taken before the birth, and two weeks of paternity leave.

When babies are born prematurely, bringing all the attendant concerns that have been outlined by Deputies, there is a particularly strong case to be made for expanding maternity leave on public policy grounds. The Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality has signalled in replies to several recent parliamentary questions that this is an issue she is open to considering in the context of the family leave Bill on which the Department is working.

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A draft Bill has been produced, which needs to update various issues as my colleague, the Minister of State, Deputy Stanton said. The most important is the programme for Government commitment to increase paid parental leave during the first year of a child's life. Discussions have recently taken place between the relevant officials in the Departments of Justice and Equality and Social Protection and further discussion with other relevant Departments will take place shortly. The Minister intends to develop these policy proposals with Government colleagues in the coming weeks, include such proposals in the family leave Bill and have it published later this year.

The question of cost will be a key consideration in the context of forthcoming legislative proposals. I reiterate we believe the State should support families at a time the pressure of nurturing new life can be daunting and stressful. However, we need to closely examine the cost of any legislative proposals, including this one. This will be done in conjunction with the Departments of Social Protection and Public Expenditure and Reform. There is more work to be done before the Government is in position to suggest legislation on this point. The Department of Justice and Equality will closely consult the Departments of Health and Social Protection and other Departments in formulating precise proposals.

I understand Deputies Penrose, Nolan, Rabbitte and others suggested improvements to maternity leave and other family leave, including carer's leave and paternal leave. I am not in a position to respond to these issues but I assure the House that they can all be considered in the family leave Bill, which is intended to be published before the end of the year.

As the Minister of State, Deputy Stanton, mentioned earlier, the Government does not oppose the motion. Instead, we intend to address the substantive issue raised in the family leave Bill and I look forward to the support of the House when these proposals come to be debated.

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