Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Let me say this. I think the provision for career breaks is a very important one. There are lots of good reasons people may need to take a career break, often personal and family reasons, as the Deputy appreciates. The fact that the provision for career breaks exists in the public service helps encourage people into the public service and is more likely to make them stay than leave. While there may be an examination of some of the exact terms, conditions and rules around that, there is not a proposal to stop career breaks. I want to make that clear.

See this speech in context