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

I have two questions for the Minister. The first is on extended parental leave. In the list of priority legislation for spring, we are told that the heads of the parents' leave and benefits (amendment) Bill have been approved but that a timeframe for pre-legislative scrutiny is still to be determined. The National Women's Council of Ireland and others are waging a campaign to have the legislation introduced. The drafting of a general scheme was a very weak response last year from the Government to a major campaign launched by women to have maternity leave extended during Covid, which was refused by the Government. They were then told that this legislative measure would be forthcoming but it has still not been introduced. Most of those women who fought then have either been forced back to or out of employment because of the difficulties with working and the inaccessibility of childcare. We now have a new cohort of parents coming on board. When is the anticipated legislation due to be published or is this a ball that is being kicked between the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth, Deputy O'Gorman, and the Minister present? Could we get a date for publication and clarification that the leave in question can be taken before the legislation is enacted?

I acknowledge the increase in the fuel allowance in January to €28 a week for the 360,000 people who are dependent on it. However, these are extraordinary times and the Minister and I know there are many people aged over 60, 70 and 80 who we are advising to stay at home. The weather is very cold and damp and they have to scrimp and scrape on the heating because the fuel allowance is inadequate. While they are at risk and while the situation is still dangerous for them, we ask that the fuel allowance would be doubled from €28 to €56. Also, as a matter of urgency, could the Minister deal with the local authorities who control the heating in many of the older person's complexes and turn it off at 11 p.m. or midnight despite very cold weather where they have to endure cold conditions in their apartments overnight? It does not happen in every block of apartments, but we need a universal reaction across all local authorities to how we deal with older persons in accommodation with centrally controlled heating.

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