Catherine Murphy (Kildare North, Social Democrats) | Oireachtas source

The issue of child care in its overall sense was very much pushed to the centre in 2005, when two by-elections were held in which child care became an issue because the by-elections happened to be in commuter belt areas. People were commuting and trying to have their children cared for, and I was one of the people who was successful in those by-elections, as was the late Shane McEntee. It was a very important issue and it really came to the fore at that point, yet 13 years later we are still grappling with it and we have not managed to deal with it in any kind of comprehensive way. Those who do manage to go back to work after having their children either pay what people describe as second mortgages or rely on family or friends to mind their children, particularly in the first year. That is the year in which people will most likely opt for flexible time that is available to them. Neither situation is ideal or desirable but for many families, there is simply no other option but to have family or friends mind their children or to pay astronomical amounts in child care costs.

The Bill we propose is just one step in what we see as a suite of measures to help parents manage the competing demands of a work-life balance. As Deputy Shortall outlined, we are an Opposition party and, as such, are precluded from introducing a Bill that would place a cost on the State. For this reason we have had to focus specifically on the issue of unpaid parental leave, but this merits legislating in its own right. The measures in the Bill are to be seen as an additional opportunity for parental leave, which would be available to parents in addition to our manifesto call, which is for 12 months' paid parental leave. We very much welcome the Minister, Deputy Regina Doherty's comments that she intends to pursue the programme for Government commitment on paid parental leave. We acknowledge and accept that it will be introduced on an incremental basis but we need very firm timelines because promising this when it is in the public spotlight or when it is being highlighted is not enough. We need a strategy and a timeline for implementation.

Our proposal to extend parental leave for those with qualifying children is based on a number of factors, but first and foremost among them is the undeniable link between early-years parenting and the future success and health of the child and the family and the associated benefits to the wider society. Many other countries have recognised the enormous payback that is reaped from a societal point of view when parents are supported to spend time with their children during these formative years. Let me be very clear that when we speak about parents, we are speaking about many different types of family formations, including single parents, same-sex parents, adoptive parents or any of the other most wonderful family formations that exist in our society. The benefits to society are tenfold when parents are supported in this way - not just for society, but also for the child, the parent or parents and, in many cases, the employer too. It is far easier for parents to make the choice to continue in employment if they know they have the option to spend time with their child when it is most needed, that is, when their children are young and growing. One can see the options that very many parents are taking - for example, in work-share arrangements - in order that they can have that flexibility, even beyond the time envisaged in this Bill. Equally, the effect of parental leave on wider issues of gender equality cannot be overestimated. There are probably many dads who do not realise they have entitlements. While we would encourage the take-up of the entitlements that are already there, they need to be extended. We believe a firm and tangible timeline for the introduction of paid parental leave in conjunction with the proposals in this Bill for the extension of additional unpaid parental leave will provide a culture whereby parents of young children are free to make the arrangements that work best for their lives.

See this speech in context