Martin Kenny (Sligo-Leitrim, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the Bill. To see it moving through the various Stages represents progress. I concur with Deputy O'Callaghan that it is unfortunate we find that it has been rushed in such a manner that it must go through all Stages together and that there is no opportunity to debate it properly and to go through it. It is quite a piece of legislation, running to over 40 pages and making changes to much existing legislation. It is unfortunate, therefore, that it must be considered in this manner. Frankly, I do not understand why it could not have been progressed sooner in order that we could have had a proper and adequate opportunity to debate it on Committee Stage and all other Stages. We are where we are, however, and we will support the Bill and want to see it come into force as quickly as possible.

Like those from other parties, Sinn Féin Deputies tabled a number of amendments to various aspects of the Bill. From the very beginning, it was considered that the Bill would cover every child born or adopted in 2019. For this reason, we sought to have it come into force such that it would cover every child born or adopted from 1 January of this year. The amendment in this regard was ruled out of order.

Then there is the clear problem with a male partner in a same-sex couple not being included in the Bill's provisions. I spoke to the Minister of State earlier about all this and I thank him for his engagement. He assures me, as he did in his speech, that this will be covered in the social welfare (No. 2) Bill and resolved in the next month to six weeks. From my point of view, and I am sure from the point of view of others here, we will hold him to that in order to ensure it happens because it is important. As previous speakers stated, it is a poor reflection on the current situation that any sector or individual would find himself or herself as an afterthought or left out. In that respect, many would view this as a case of equality delayed being equality denied. We do not want to see that happen. The Minister and those who drafted the legislation may not have set out with that intention, but it has come to pass and that is how matters stand.

We must always consider that all parents deserve the maximum amount of time with their children, particularly in their formative years. As someone who has four children, I remember that the very early weeks and years of their lives were vital. Those years are vital to parents, siblings and everyone else around the children. Bonding happens at that very early stage. Anything that can be done from a legislative point of view to ensure that we provide for parents to be there for their children and to get that bond in place as early as possible can pay huge dividends later in life as they go into their teenage years and early adulthood because that bond stays with them. From a young age, children will always talk about their earliest memories. It is usually something that happened with a parent, some intimate moment, a moment of joy or an expression of something that happened very early in the child's life. Usually, in that moment, the parent was the one who was there. I hope that in our modern society, when children look back to their earliest memories, they do not involve childminders or crèches. That would be very unfortunate. I understand that modern society brings with it huge pressures, that couples must both work to pay mortgages, to manage or to survive and that this means that sometimes in those formative years children are dropped off at 7 a.m. and not picked up until 8 p.m, and it is bedtime after that. They find they do not have that sense of oneness with the family unit. That is very unfortunate and, in light of it, I often wonder how much progress our society is actually making. We are where we are, however.

We will support the Bill. A number of amendments will come up and we will look at them. The issue of proper consultation with employers has been raised. I have had some communications about that matter.

That said, the Bill must be focused on that so as to ensure the employee gets the maximum benefit from this legislation.

Naturally enough, employers will always say they need to be considered, as they do, but at the same time this Bill will deal with a very small fraction of the time a person will be in employment. The vast majority of employers will be able to deal with it adequately.

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