Duncan Smith (Dublin Fingal, Labour) | Oireachtas source

I hope the Tánaiste had the opportunity last weekend to read Erica Tierney's article in The Irish Times. Ms Tierney wrote about her experience of being pregnant while diagnosed with breast cancer. She finished her treatment on 30 April 2020, and one week later was informed by the Department of Social Protection that her maternity leave had run out. Ms Tierney is the inspiration behind the Irish Cancer Society's Leave Our Leave campaign, which has been calling for amendments to the Maternity Protection (Amendment) Act 2004, to allow women going through a cancer diagnosis during pregnancy or postpartum to defer their maternity leave. This has cross-party support. The Minister, Deputy O'Gorman, said it was to have been brought in by the end of 2023. When will this legislation, which would be simple and short, be brought in? It would make a huge difference to the more than 60 women who every year are diagnosed with cancer while pregnant. If a father is diagnosed with cancer or falls ill, they can defer their paternity leave, but women who are pregnant cannot defer their maternity leave.

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