Pauline Tully (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I wish to speak in favour of this motion to extend maternity leave benefit and to represent the views of the many mothers throughout the country who have contacted me on this issue. The Covid restrictions were difficult on everyone but mothers who gave birth just before or during the pandemic were particularly badly affected. Gone were the normal support networks such as help from extended family, breastfeeding groups, baby massage groups and mother and toddler groups. All of those outlets were prohibited. Visits from the public health nurse were severely curtailed or reduced to telephone contact. Many children have not had their developmental milestones adequately monitored. Children with difficulties were not treated, as hospital appointments continued to be postponed. Mothers who gave birth by caesarean section have not had follow-up medical appointments. The number of new mothers reported to be suffering from postnatal depression has trebled and proper care is not being provided. Mothers who have underlying health issues susceptible to Covid are even more isolated. Children are not being socialised because, in many cases, they have been seeing only their parent or parents. I heard from one couple who went through rigorous IVF treatment and then were unable to share the joy of their little miracle, their precious newborn, with their family.

Many mothers who were due to return to work in the coming weeks are not in a position to do so as there is a serious lack of childcare places, especially for children under one year of age and, in some cases, children under two. Many mothers are not in a position to take the 16 weeks of additional unpaid maternity leave and others are faced with the prospect of resigning from their workplace due to the lack of childcare. A lot of work has gone into ensuring employment equality. What is happening now flies in the face of everything that was achieved and has the potential to undermine all of it. An extension to maternity leave will help to alleviate many of these issues but the childcare crisis must be addressed in tandem. That crisis existed before Covid and is exacerbated as a result of it. The State has a responsibility to provide adequate and affordable childcare. If we hope to get out of the economic crisis resulting from the virus, we need to get as many people as possible back to work as soon as we can.

This cannot happen without adequate childcare. I commend my colleague, Deputy Kerrane, on bringing forward this motion and encourage all Members to support it.

See this speech in context