Mary Lou McDonald (Dublin Central, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I commend Deputy Kerrane for bringing forward this important motion at this time. On 11 June, the National Women's Council of Ireland, NWCI, submitted a petition signed by more than 28,000 people to the then Taoiseach, Deputy Leo Varadkar, calling for an extension of 12 weeks to maternity leave and pay. He said he would give full and meaningful consideration to this request. However, after a month of inaction and pleas falling on deaf ears, last Tuesday I joined the NWCI and a group of exasperated mothers and fathers who demonstrated outside the Dáil in support of this call. I and other Deputies have consistently raised this issue on the floor of the House.

Last week, the Taoiseach, Deputy Micheál Martin, said the Government's intention was to do the right thing. New mothers, women and families need and deserve much more than empty rhetoric and words. They need urgent action now to extend maternity leave and benefits by 12 weeks. There must be no ifs or buts, just action.

Like Deputy Kerrane, I want to give a voice to the best advocates for this necessary support and change, that is, mothers themselves. Victoria told me that her little girl was born four weeks premature and spent two weeks in intensive care. She said she was scared and felt she did not have the time she needed. She has no childcare available and does not know what to do. She has suffered from post-natal depression, hospital appointments have been cancelled, her injections were put back by a month and neonatal appointments, along with a hip X-ray and ultrasound, have been cancelled. Even though the lockdown has now been lifted, she is still suffering from anxiety and postnatal depression. She told me that her child has not left the house except for doctor's appointments and small walks on a country lane. She said she is at a loss, has no childcare and would have no choice but to return to work prematurely.

Rebecca said she had her first baby during the pandemic and found it extremely stressful. She said her daughter missed out on medical appointments and visits from the public health nurse.

She says she will have to take unpaid leave if this motion is not passed and if the Government does not act. She says extending maternity leave provides people with more time with their babies and gives them the chance to get back into the workforce later in the year.

Jenny, and this case is particularly sad, said at the moment these truly feel like the darkest days she has personally had to face and it should be the most joyous and happy time in her life. Victoria, Rebecca and Jenny articulate perfectly and directly why this extension to maternity leave and benefit is both essential and urgent.

We have and will out of necessity make all manner of interventions to support workers, the economy and businesses, sector by sector. That is absolutely necessary and essential but we must intervene to support families too. This, to my mind, is a very simple, straightforward, necessary and fair ask by new mothers that they be given the additional 12 months with their young children at a time, bear in mind, where childcare provision is under immense pressure and at a time when no-one can be sure the sufficient capacity will be available.

The announcement yesterday by the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs in respect of parents leave is welcome, in as much as it has been made. However, it is not the solution and nobody should pretend it is a solution for mothers and families who need relief now. They cannot wait until next year, they need a solution now. This is a matter of fairness and it is also a matter of common sense. I ask that the Government stop hiding behind a veil of complexity and act immediately to extend paid maternity leave for these mothers by an additional 12 weeks.

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