Anne Rabbitte (Galway East, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Business Committee for affording time for the introduction of this crucial legislation, which is long overdue. I thank my party colleague, Deputy Niamh Smyth, and my parliamentary colleagues for supporting the changes that we have suggested for a long time. There is no doubt that Fianna Fáil takes pride in its effort to expand female participation in politics. As Deputy Smyth said, we are committed to addressing issues such as the gender pay gap and the five "C" barriers, but also female participation in boardrooms. I thank Kevin Dillon, Charlotte Simpson and the Bills Office for helping to produce this Bill. This Bill is not perfect but what I, my colleague, Deputy Smyth, and my party are saying is that we would like to see it come to committee. I am sure there are areas of it which need to be addressed. Since this Bill was first compiled, I see a gaping issue that needs to be addressed with regard to adoption. It says maternity but I think it also needs to be addressed with regard to adoption.

The Maternity Protection (Members of the Houses of the Oireachtas) Bill 2018 is essential to address many of the barriers preventing women from coming in through the front gate of Leinster House. Only 23% of our Deputies are women. The Fianna Fáil Bill takes clear action to get rid of one of the barriers to female participation. The Maternity Protection (Members of the Houses of the Oireachtas) Bill 2018 will help to ensure that female Deputies and Senators can take maternity leave in line with employees in companies and organisations across the country, and it removes the limbo which exists. We currently have a sick certificate if one needs to go out on maternity leave from the Oireachtas: one has to produce a sick certificate. This Bill is a democratic measure to make sure that both voices are heard in national decision-making. Last year, I brought forward the Maternity Protection (Local Government Members) Bill 2017. That was to amend the Local Government Act 2001 for all local government members to take full maternity leave. I thank the Houses of the Oireachtas and colleagues here for supporting it because the Bill has now moved to Committee Stage. I saw that the only way to eat this elephant is to take it one bite at a time. That is what we are doing. We are ensuring that there are no barriers to prevent women from participating in local and national government. It is 100 years since Countess Markievicz was first elected and we also think of Vótáil 100.

I will address some of the provisions in the Bill. It provides for maternity leave in respect of any female person:

(a) elected to and currently a member of Dáil Éireann, and shall include the Cathaoirleach of Dáil Éireann, or

(b) elected or appointed to and currently a member of Seanad Éireann.

Section 3 provides that a pregnant Member of the Houses of the Oireachtas will be entitled to maternity leave for a period not less than 18 weeks, with an additional six weeks provided, which still brings us up to the current standard for anybody who wishes to go on maternity leave from employment here, which is 26 weeks. While I use the words "A pregnant member of the Houses of the Oireachtas", when we get this to Committee Stage, I would like to see provision for any Members who wish to take adoption leave. The Bill also provides that one would have to give four weeks' notice when acquiring maternity leave. That would be given to the cathaoirleach of either of the Houses of the Oireachtas. An additional eight consecutive weeks commencing immediately after maternity leave is under "Additional maternity leave" in section 5.

I am sure people are wondering about the expenses claimed for the work of a Member of the Oireachtas. It shall not be paid unless lawfully accrued during maternity leave. That is also a crucial part. It is trying to give equality to female participants. We want to give everybody the opportunity to be a Member of either House of the Oireachtas. One should not have to wait until one's childbearing years are over until one enters Leinster House. That is a reason why I introduced the Maternity Protection (Local Government Members) Bill 2017.

The difference between the Maternity Protection (Local Government Members) Bill and this Bill is that there was legislation covering the local government area which we could amend, namely, the Local Government Act 2001. In this case we are trying to create legislation to copper-fasten the opportunities for women and remove this limbo, because there is no such provision at present and we need to ensure we have it.

When my colleague, Deputy Niamh Smyth, was pregnant last year with her beautiful baby, the only way she could get time off was by producing a certificate to say she was sick. I could not believe it because that is unbelievable in this day and age.

It is important also to put on the record that while I thank the Business Committee for giving us the opportunity to discuss the Bill tonight, it is unfortunate that we get the graveyard shift.

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