Bríd Smith (Dublin South Central, People Before Profit Alliance) | Oireachtas source

I am not going to ask a question about gardaí because this opportunity needs to be used to address a matter that has been kicked around the houses. The Minister for Finance, Deputy Donohoe, says it is the responsibility of the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection, Regina Doherty. She tells me it is the responsibility of the Minister, Deputy Flanagan. I refer to the extension of maternity leave and benefits for women who are being forced to return to work. These women have recently had babies and have been on maternity leave. They are worried that they cannot return to work. I have been told repeatedly that this matter requires primary legislation. Frankly, I do not accept that. It was welcome to see last week that the Minister for Finance, having been forced into it, changed the rules relating to the wage subsidy scheme in respect of how it affects those returning from maternity leave. He stated that retrospective legislation would be required.

I do not accept that the Government cannot find a way, if it has the political will, to provide a solution to a real problem for women faced with the option of having to return to work after their leave has expired in circumstances where they cannot access childcare, family support or other types of support or leave arrangements. We must extend their leave for the period of the Covid-19 pandemic and the benefits that go with it. Otherwise, we are flying in the face of the policy which states that no one will be left out. Thousands of women and children will be left out unless the political will emerges to find address that.

The Minister will know that new mothers have a petition that has been signed by over 23,000 people. We have a motion circulating through the Dáil calling for the Government to find a way to do what I have outlined. I am pleased to say that over 20 Deputies have signed up to the motion. I encourage Fianna Fáil and Sinn Féin to co-sign it as a way to apply pressure on the Government. Legislation could be applied retrospectively, just as it has been in respect of the other maternity leave arrangements under the wage subsidy scheme. If we do not do this, we will be flying in the face of the logic of the whole emergency relating to the pandemic. We have changed laws on planning applications and suspended the Redundancy Payments Act. We have frozen evictions and other legislation has been either frozen or suspended. Women and children deserve the same respect. They need this legislation to cover them for the period of Covid-19 because, for many and various reasons, they cannot return to work. I call on the Minister to address this.

I also want to raise the question of the Miltown Malbay direct provision centre. I know the Minister and the International Protection Accommodation Service have received many letters from local citizens who have been providing blankets, food, clothes and support for those people the system has failed yet again. Yet, they have received no answers to the correspondence. They say that the building is unsuitable and requires extensive renovation. There is a litany of complaints about the centre, where the management have proven themselves to be unsuitable. This is not only about Miltown Malbay or the failings of one site, it is about the failings of the entire system of direct provision. That is why we are calling for an end to direct provision and an amnesty for all those caught within its net. It is a system designed to humiliate, punish and discourage others from coming to this country to seek international protection. It is one of 65 sites throughout the country run by a privately operated for-profit entity.

In the national media, the Minister told us that the people in these centres are his responsibility. I appeal to him to act like they are and stop the light-touch or no-touch regime overseeing these centres. The Minister has just stated that he requested an inspection of the centre in question. That is my understanding of what he has just said. The Reception and Integration Agency site states that every effort is made to inspect accommodation centres approximately three times annually. That centre has been open for one year. I checked the website. There is no record of any inspection of that centre. If the Minister is requesting an inspection one year later, then there is some fault in the system.

If not, will the Minister please answer this question? We must look hard at the matter of direct provision. The system has been in existence for 20 years and we are constantly talking about getting rid of it.

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