Matt Carthy (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I am sharing time with a number of my colleagues. I commend Deputy Kerrane on putting this motion before the House. I support it entirely. I also commend all of the new mothers who led the campaign to extend maternity leave and those who supported them in their work, including the National Women's Council of Ireland and Members of this House, including Deputies McDonald, O'Reilly, Bríd Smith and others from across the political divide who stood outside the gates of this complex and assured those women that everything that could possibly be done on their behalf would be done.

This evening we have seen that the chaos for which Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael Governments have been renowned is very much evident once again. The actions of the Government in bringing forward its amendment and rejecting the motion as put forward by Deputy Kerrane also show that the uncaring and out-of-touch nature of Administrations comprising those parties is also still evident. The amendment to the motion and the Minister's remarks go to great lengths to assure people that the Government understands the issues pertaining to women who have had children during the pandemic period. They go to great lengths to say that the Government understands the difficulties facing their families before going on to offer those people precisely sweet damn all in return. That is really disappointing. In fact, it is inexcusable. I have no doubt that, if the Minister were on this side of the House and facing such an amendment to the motion, she would treat it with the disdain it warrants.

I ask the Government to withdraw its amendment between now and Thursday, when we will vote on the motion, to stand with those women, not only in words but in actions, who have just had new babies and their families, and to show them that the State is caring and supports them in the position they are in. I commend the motion to the House.

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