Emer Higgins (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Sadly, one in four pregnancies ends in loss. The State supports women in terms of leave from work who miscarry from 26 weeks on or who tragically experience a stillbirth. However, if someone experiences early pregnancy loss, they do it in isolation and without access to State leave. I have campaigned for early pregnancy loss. One of the challenges I have come up against is the lack of available data. Now, however, thanks to the Department of children and youth affairs and Professor Keelin O'Donoghue, Professor Ruadh Kelly-Harrington, Dr. Marita Hennessy, Professor Mary Donnelly and the almost 1,000 women who shared their experience and feedback, we have the data. Some 77% of those women took time off work. More than one quarter had to resort to annual leave or unpaid leave and 95% said they would have availed of statutory leave, were it available. Where is the compassion for these women and their partners? Will this Government look at introducing statutory paid leave for early pregnancy loss?

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