Dáil debates

Wednesday, 29 March 2023

Work Life Balance and Miscellaneous Provisions Bill 2022: From the Seanad

 

The Dáil went into Committee to consider amendments from the Seanad.

5:12 pm

Photo of Seán Ó FearghaílSeán Ó Fearghaíl (Kildare South, Ceann Comhairle)
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Amendments Nos. 1, 2, 10, 20, 22, 23, 29, 30, 32, 33, and 36 to 44, inclusive, are related and may be discussed together by agreement.

Seanad amendment No. 1:

Photo of Roderic O'GormanRoderic O'Gorman (Dublin West, Green Party)
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I am happy to be back in the House for a final debate on this important legislation, the Work Life Balance and Miscellaneous Provisions Bill 2022. The Bill will improve workers' rights in five key ways. It introduces the right to request flexible working for carers and parents, so that mothers, fathers and carers can better balance their family life, work and caring responsibilities. It introduces the right to request remote working for all workers, recognising the benefits of remote working including less commuting and a better quality of life. It introduces five days of caring leave for parents and carers who need to support a person or child with serious medical care and five days of paid leave for victims of domestic violence, making Ireland one of the first countries in Europe to introduce this right. Finally, it extends breastfeeding breaks from six months to two years after the birth of a child, providing additional support to new mothers returning to work after maternity leave. It enacts pieces of the EU work-life balance directive and brings Ireland close to the full transposition of that directive, as well as introducing key policy proposals of this Government that were agreed in the programme for Government negotiations.

Deputies and Senators were supportive of elements of this legislation. Most of the changes we are bringing forward today are of a technical nature, but one or two are also substantive and I look forward to hearing Deputies' views on those. Amendment No. 1 and the other amendments in the first grouping are amendments to correct drafting errors in the Bill or ensure that the provisions of the Bill are technically correct. They correct spelling errors where they occur, revise punctuation and insert accurate references. I recommend to the committee that these amendments be accepted.

Photo of Seán Ó FearghaílSeán Ó Fearghaíl (Kildare South, Ceann Comhairle)
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These are all technical amendments. Does anyone want to speak on these amendments?

Photo of Holly CairnsHolly Cairns (Cork South West, Social Democrats)
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As the Bill is on the last Stage, we can speak about it.

Photo of Seán Ó FearghaílSeán Ó Fearghaíl (Kildare South, Ceann Comhairle)
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No, we are speaking about the amendments as grouped, not on the Bill in general.

Photo of Holly CairnsHolly Cairns (Cork South West, Social Democrats)
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There are a lot of amendments, so I will be speaking in respect of them.

I welcome this and any Bill that helps to improve situations for workers, employers and families. It has many benefits in transposing into Irish law, the European directive of 2019 on work-life balance for parents and carers. However, many of the flaws identified at the pre-legislative scrutiny stage remain and undermine the overall impact of the law. It is good to highlight the headline issues but when we consider the details, there are some flaws and arbitrary restrictions. The core economic principle of social democracy is that state intervention is warranted and necessary to fix market failures. We believe in sensible and proportionate policies that reflect the reality of life for most people. At some stage in our lives, we all have caring duties. Most obviously, parents need flexibility to care for children, especially when they are unwell. Older parents, other relatives and friends can also need support at different times. That is a social reality. This is life and we need our laws to reflect these complexities.

Our current legislation is weak in some ways on workers' rights and that affects family life and especially impacts on women. As of 2020, Irish women's employment is at 72.2% compared with Irish men's employment at 85.3%. We have a gap of approximately 13%, placing us above the European average of 11% and we are especially out of line with comparable countries such as Portugal at 5% or Denmark at 8%. Information from EUROSTAT on gender equality is even more significant. It shows that caring responsibilities are the main reason women are not part of the labour force. Research by the ESRI and the Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission revealed that 45% of women and 29% of men provide care for others on a daily basis in Ireland. They also discussed that when comparing levels of unpaid work across the EU, Ireland had the third highest weekly hours of unpaid work for both men and women. The report states that this is likely to reflect high demand for caring in Ireland with relatively low State involvement in support for caring. I raised this larger point on International Women's Day. Ireland's social and healthcare system is based on the assumption that there is a stay-at-home parent or carer who is usually a woman. Childcare costs remain disgracefully high. Parents have to provide the vast majority of, if not all, the care and developmental interventions for children with disabilities. If there is any hope of keeping older parents with an illness or additional needs in their homes, they must have family carers. Furthermore, in its pre-legislative scrutiny report, the Joint Committee on Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth recommended that the initiatives proposed under this Bill must be met with improvements in the provision of accessible and affordable childcare and other care services.

Photo of Seán Ó FearghaílSeán Ó Fearghaíl (Kildare South, Ceann Comhairle)
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I am loath to interrupt. I really am. I apologise for this but the Deputy is making a Second Stage speech, in which she is talking about the principles of the Bill. That was done on Second Stage. In this instance, we are beyond Report Stage and are dealing with amendments from the Seanad. All we may discuss are the actual amendments rather than the generalities or principles.

Photo of Holly CairnsHolly Cairns (Cork South West, Social Democrats)
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What I am saying is around amendments Nos. 20, 22 and 23. That is what I am getting to. I am supporting the point I am trying to make.

5:22 pm

Photo of Seán Ó FearghaílSeán Ó Fearghaíl (Kildare South, Ceann Comhairle)
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If the Deputy can tell us how it relates to the amendments, all the better. Then we can do business.

Photo of Holly CairnsHolly Cairns (Cork South West, Social Democrats)
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I will skip my last point if the Ceann Comhairle wants me to move on more quickly. Is there a reason we are under time pressure?

Photo of Seán Ó FearghaílSeán Ó Fearghaíl (Kildare South, Ceann Comhairle)
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No. To date, the Deputy has not dealt with the amendments; she has been making a general statement.

Photo of Holly CairnsHolly Cairns (Cork South West, Social Democrats)
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It is related to the amendments. The Bill must be met with improvements in the provision of accessible and affordable childcare under the care services. In this context, the least we can do is ensure people have the right to flexible working arrangements as an acknowledgement of the poor provision of childcare and social and healthcare. One area of concern in the Bill was covered by amendment Nos. 20, 22 and 23 relating to a parent's request for flexible working arrangements. The Government has proposed that flexible working arrangements to care for one's child can only be made up to the age of 12 years, or 16 years in the case of a child with a disability or a long-term illness. They are arbitrary dates. I asked the Minister about this on Committee Stage and there was no justification. Parents need care for their adolescent children so I do not know why the Bill would exclude a parent or guardian requesting flexible working arrangements to care for a 13- or 14 year-old-child.

Documentation from Tusla states that in Ireland children under 14 years of age are not seen to be mature enough to be left alone or unsupervised. The Bill just does not line up with that. The limit of 16 years in the case of a child with a disability or long-term illness is not just arbitrary, for some people it feels insulting. As the Minister responsible for disabilities, I hope Deputy O'Gorman will examine the complexity and care required by many children with disabilities and understand it does not stop at age 16. No satisfactory explanation has been offered for these limits. They are another section of the Bill divorced from the reality of family life. While I welcome the Bill and its overall impact, there are provisions in it that should have been addressed. With reference to the review, it is at best a year away and it disregards the genuine concerns raised by representative bodies and support organisations.

Crucially, the other key point is the provision of public service. Properly resourcing staff in the social and healthcare system would make a massive difference and would alleviate some of the need for these types of leave. The Government must provide a statutory right to home assistance and staff and funding for children's disability network teams to support family carers and provide affordable childcare. They are ultimately the measures which will make a substantial difference in this area.

Photo of Seán SherlockSeán Sherlock (Cork East, Labour)
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Addressing the first grouping of amendments, particularly amendments Nos. 1, 2, 10, 20, 22, 23, 29, 30, 32, 33, and 36 to 44, inclusive, I wish to ask the Minister about the process for determining the rates of pay for domestic violence leave. What is the Minister's intention, having come from the Seanad, regarding the setting of regulations on the rate of pay for domestic violence leave? The percentage rate of pay is not specified. The sick pay rate is 70%. There is a worry, if it is going to be less than 70%, that it would represent a difficulty for potential recipients where, for example, board and lodgings must be taken into account. Has there been any evolution in the Minister's thinking, having come from the Seanad, regarding the setting of the domestic leave rate, as outlined in section 7?

Photo of Roderic O'GormanRoderic O'Gorman (Dublin West, Green Party)
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Bearing in mind the warnings of the Ceann Comhairle, I will not respond to some of the general points, particularly about women in the workplace. I was going to outline the measures the Government has taken but I recognise we are only speaking about amendments, so I will control those remarks.

Regarding Deputy Sherlock's question, that issue is dealt with in amendment grouping two, but he asked a question so I will address it now. The legislation provides for a rate to be set for domestic violence leave. We had a good discussion in the Seanad about the criteria set out in the legislation. Several Senators raised concerns that some of the criteria were quite macro and high-level, looking at economic trends in the wider economy. They also raised concerns about the fact that while views of domestic, sexual and gender-based violence service providers could perhaps find a route in through one of the criteria, it was not specifically provided for, so I made two changes. I took out one of those high-level macro issues and specifically included that a Minister making a decision on the rate will have to engage directly and source the views of providers in this area.

There will be a process following the passage, I hope, of this legislation and its signature, to set the rate. I cannot give an answer as to what the outcome of that process will be. I very specifically heard the concerns of domestic, sexual and gender-based violence service providers during the discussion on Committee and Report Stages in the Seanad. I made these changes to ensure the considered views of organisations most attuned to this issue will form part of the decision about the rate. I hope that gives an indication of listening to those concerns and looking to respond to them in a meaningful way.

Regarding Deputy Cairns's point, age limits for the ability to seek flexible work are drawn from the Parental Leave Act. Those ages were chosen on that basis, of 12, or 16 in the case of a child with a disability. On the ability to seek flexible work, where the child of an employee is older than the age limit and requires care, there is an entitlement under the Bill to require flexible working. It is important if one is caring for one's child who is over the age of 18, that one is still entitled to use the provisions of this Bill if that person has a disability. That addresses the second part of the concerns Deputy Cairns raised, particularly regarding the ability to apply for flexible work when a child has a disability.

Photo of Seán SherlockSeán Sherlock (Cork East, Labour)
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I accept the Minister's answer. The process by which one arrives at the point at which you set the rate is still unclear. It must be as seamless a process as possible. This has been debated extensively on Committee Stage in the Seanad and in this House. Will the Minister at this late stage give a clearer articulation - which I say most respectfully - of the process? We do not want a situation in which there are impediments to any person who wishes to seek domestic violence leave if, from a financial perspective, it is deemed unviable for them to do so. I worry about the effect that would have on the number of people applying. It has already been articulated in the Seanad that countries like New Zealand, Italy and others have set the rate at the full rate of pay. Does the Minster have a view on that?

Photo of Roderic O'GormanRoderic O'Gorman (Dublin West, Green Party)
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The process is set out in section 7 of the Bill. There is consultation, following which the Minister makes a determination on the rate, bearing in mind various criteria and amendments to the criteria we have just discussed. Another criterion is examining international comparisons. Deputy Sherlock referenced several international comparisons but there are not many because Ireland will be one of the first countries, certainly in Europe, to introduce paid domestic violence leave, which is to be welcomed. The issue of paid leave for victims of domestic violence has been discussed for almost as long as I have been in this House.

We had a Private Members' Bill a number of years ago about it. We have always recognised the reason we are doing this is that the victims of domestic violence are those who are most at risk of poverty. That is the central reason we are moving this. I am very cognisant of that, with regard to making a decision that would somehow mitigate against achieving the central goal, which is to try, to some extent, to avoid the risk of victims of domestic violence being more at risk of poverty by having to take unpaid leave to deal with the outcomes of their suffering domestic violence.

Seanad amendment agreed to.

Seanad amendment No. 2:

Seanad amendment agreed to.

5:32 pm

Photo of Catherine ConnollyCatherine Connolly (Galway West, Independent)
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Amendments Nos. 3 to 9, inclusive, are related and may be discussed together.

Seanad amendment No. 3:

Photo of Roderic O'GormanRoderic O'Gorman (Dublin West, Green Party)
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These amendments revise the proposals in section 7 of the Bill and, in particular, the new section 13AA(7), which provides for the regulation-making power for the Minister in setting the level of pay for domestic violence leave. Amendment No. 2 proposes to amend section 13AA(1), which provides for the circumstances in which an employee is entitled to domestic violence leave. The amendment does not make any policy changes, but merely rewords the section for drafting clarity, including ensuring the lists of purposes for which an employee can avail of the leave is not exhaustive. Amendments Nos. 3 and 7 amend the provisions around the regulation-making power for the Minister to set the level of payment for the leave and take on board the issues raised by Senators during debate on Seanad Committee Stage.

These amendments do two things, which I have spoken to already. First, they delete one of those higher level considerations that were previously in the list of considerations looking at macro-economic climates. Second, and more importantly, they insert a consideration that the Minister has to engage with and seek the views of NGOs working in the domestic, sexual and gender-based violence, DSGBV, sector prior to making any determination on the rate. That is a reflection of issues and specific amendments that were introduced by some Opposition Senators in the Seanad.

The other amendments listed are technical and flow from the substantive changes to section 7. I am conscious there should be no barrier to an employee taking up this leave. It is a vital form of leave. It could present a way out of a dangerous situation for a victim. These concerns will be foremost in my mind in making any regulations. I recommend that these amendments are accepted.

Photo of Holly CairnsHolly Cairns (Cork South West, Social Democrats)
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Several of these amendments relate to gender-based violence leave. I wholeheartedly welcome the right to access leave for domestic and gender-based violence. It is significant that people now have that statutory right, but the provisions fall short of what is required. Most obviously, the Bill only allows for five days' leave, when the Joint Committee on Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth heard, repeatedly, that ten days is necessary. We have all raised these points before, but if we are to take the necessary action to tackle gender-based violence, why provide only half of what is being sought by those who work in the area?

At the Joint Committee on Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth, the CEO of West Cork Women Against Violence, Marie Mulholland, stressed the sheer amount of time and logistics involved for women fleeing those violent situations, especially in rural areas where there are additional barriers in accessing support services, housing offices and the courts. Ms Mulholland explained it, in that, if one has a court date on the day one's leave is ended and one does not have enough leave, there are no buses to the court and one has to get to a housing office that could be an hour and a half away, to try to seek emergency accommodation and that could be with pets, children and all of these things. Women's Aid stated that leave should be set at ten days and, in certain cases, additional unpaid leave may be necessary. Also at the committee, Dr. Nata Duvvury from the University of Galway informed the committee that ten days' leave is now becoming the universal standard for domestic leave.

The other major deficiency in the leave is the rate of pay, because there is an ambiguity around that really important aspect of the Bill. Amendments were rejected to ensure that people receive their full pay while taking this leave, as well as the requirement for people affected to get pay in advance. It now looks as though domestic violence leave will be set at comparable rates to sick leave, which is 70% of one's normal pay, up to a maximum of €110 per day. However, upon zooming out, one cannot, in good conscience, reduce the pay of somebody fleeing domestic violence, at the exact time when that person needs that access to money. It seems there is no understanding of what these women are going through, that is, the fear, vulnerability and the countless bureaucratic barriers. Other countries ensure people get the full pay. Victims and survivors in Ireland deserve no less.

During the Seanad debate, it was pointed out that often people in those circumstances are under considerable coercive and financial control and their abuser will see their pay reduction as a way to create a situation where the victim or survivor is even more vulnerable. I urge the Minister to return to those fundamental issues. I know he will probably refer to the review of the legislation, but that will not begin until at least two years after the Bill comes into effect and it will be another year or more before any changes could be suggested. We could not even guess how many people would suffer in the meantime.

Photo of Kathleen FunchionKathleen Funchion (Carlow-Kilkenny, Sinn Fein)
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I wished to speak to this grouping of amendments, but specifically amendments Nos. 3 and 4, because I was looking for clarity. I know there was some discussion with regard to this in the Seanad. There seem to be some amendments accepted that would have been put forward by Senators Ruane and Higgins - I wished to see where exactly this is - with regard to the rate of pay.

We know about the financial hardship. We have discussed it in various forums, but something not highlighted is faced by many women in this situation and spoken about by many organisations such as Women's Aid or any of the domestic violence refuges that deal with women. When women make the initial call, it might take a few phone calls and attempts to leave the situation. Some of the advice given is to prepare a getaway bag, for want of better words. In certain relationships, women are being monitored, either by their ex-partner or current partner and are trying to get away from that situation.

One of the concerns I have is the rate of pay not being the same as the woman's wage pay. If she is being monitored and that person is logging into her online banking or seeing her payslips - we all know that should not be happening, but that is the reality, especially in coercive control - and the person is seeing a difference in pay, it may spark some negative and unwanted attention when one is trying to get out of the situation. I do not know if some of this has been addressed in the Seanad debate, because we were not at that debate, but I wonder whether we can get clarity on it. Has that point been taken on board? Women's Aid made some very good points, which I am sure it gave to the Minister, with regard to the debate in the Seanad about the rate of pay.

I do not think we should be comparing it with sick pay or leave. It is very different and it should be the same rate of pay one is getting in one's job.

Photo of Roderic O'GormanRoderic O'Gorman (Dublin West, Green Party)
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It is important to note the proposals we are bringing forward and, it is hoped, will be passed into legislation after today's debate, have been welcomed. They have been welcomed by NGOs and organisations working in this sector and by the trade unions, some of which have campaigned for this for a long time. Thus, there is a strong welcome for the proposals.

A number of the Deputies have referred to the universal standard, but that may be among four or five countries that have adopted this on a national basis. When we adopt a national, statutory, paid DSGBV leave, we will be among the first countries in the world to do so. Notwithstanding the right of Deputies to argue for more and to improve and get better, which needs to happen, it is important to remember we are joining a very small group of countries that have taken this important step. It is not that we are somehow out of line with masses of countries with regard to the provision of paid leave in this area. It is important to make that point. This is a very significant and progressive step. Very few countries in Europe have taken it. The step has been taken in New Zealand and at provincial level in a number of parts of Canada and Australia, but we are legislating on a national level here.

I just make that point about the five days.

The legislation does not set what the rate of DSGBV leave pay will be. It sets out a process for how that rate will be established. During the Seanad debate, organisations raised concerns about the criteria that were being used. They were very much modelled on the criteria for determining the rate of sick pay. On hearing that, we have made changes. We have taken out some of those very high-level references to the macroeconomic situation and, in amendment No. 7, substituted the following wording in respect of one of the considerations the Minister has to consider in setting the rate of pay: "expert opinion, including that of victim services organisations, research and national and international reports relating to the matters specified at paragraphs (a) to (c) that the Minister considers relevant". We deliberately inserted that to recognise the importance of that on an issue as significant as what the rate of DSGBV leave pay will be that the voices and views of those who are most attuned to this area and to the impact of domestic violence on people in the workplace are part of the Minister's considerations. There is a process that will kick off once this legislation is passed and signed. We have made these changes deliberately on hearing the concerns that were raised. That is probably as far as I can go in providing reassurance other than to say the core thinking behind the legislation, to which Deputy Cairns referred, is to protect victims from poverty. I am very cognisant of that in working to pass this legislation and my actions in implementing it.

5:42 pm

Photo of Seán SherlockSeán Sherlock (Cork East, Labour)
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I do not know who said it but the perfect is sometimes the enemy of the good. I think we all acknowledge that this is a very good start. I am coming back to the issue of process. If the Minister tells us he is going to start the process immediately upon the passing of this legislation and that there is a timeline for that process and if he gives us some indication as to when he feels ultimately the rate will be set, that would give a lot of confidence to people. We all welcome the fact that the Minister will devolve to expert opinion and victims' services organisations and so on regarding the process. How long will the process take and how long does he anticipate that it will take for a rate to be struck for people? That would send a real signal if we could get clarity on that.

Photo of Roderic O'GormanRoderic O'Gorman (Dublin West, Green Party)
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I thank the Deputy.

Photo of Seán SherlockSeán Sherlock (Cork East, Labour)
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As we say in Cork, the Minister is being a bit cagey about it, like. He could come up with a little bit more.

Photo of Roderic O'GormanRoderic O'Gorman (Dublin West, Green Party)
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I do not feel I am being cagey at all. A number of important rights have to be initiated through this legislation. There is DSGBV leave. We have to make the changes to the availability to access breast-feeding breaks. We have to do significant work on the right to request remote working. A code of conduct has to be drawn up by the WRC. We have to do some work on flexible working and carer's leave as well. When I engaged with the social partners, they said we need to stagger this and we cannot bring it all in at once. In fairness, the unions said this as much as employers. That was in the context of sick pay coming in at the start of this year. I will look to stagger this. I can bring in some provisions early such as the breast-feeding breaks and the five days' carer's leave. I hope that by the end of the summer we will have a clear indication of the rate and we will look by end of summer or perhaps the start of the next Dáil term to make that leave available. That is the goal I am working towards.

Seanad amendment agreed to.

Seanad amendment No. 4:

Seanad amendment agreed to.

Seanad amendment No. 5:

Seanad amendment agreed to.

Seanad amendment No. 6:

Seanad amendment agreed to.

Seanad amendment No. 7:

Seanad amendment agreed to.

Seanad amendment No. 8:

Seanad amendment agreed to.

Seanad amendment No. 9:

Seanad amendment agreed to.

Seanad amendment No. 10:

Seanad amendment agreed to.

Photo of Catherine ConnollyCatherine Connolly (Galway West, Independent)
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Seanad amendments Nos. 11 to 18, inclusive, 24, 31, 34 and 35 are related and may be discussed together by agreement of the House.

Seanad amendment No. 11:

Photo of Roderic O'GormanRoderic O'Gorman (Dublin West, Green Party)
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These are amendments to ensure clarity and harmonised language in the drafting of the Bill. They ensure that the provisions can be clearly understood and there is continuity of language in the relevant provisions. These amendments do not substantively change any of the provisions referenced but merely ensure that the policy intention is clear. I recommend that these amendments be accepted.

Photo of Kathleen FunchionKathleen Funchion (Carlow-Kilkenny, Sinn Fein)
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I welcome amendment No. 18, which refers to the Minister laying a report before both Houses of the Oireachtas within six months of the passing of Act. It is quite a good amendment.

Seanad amendment agreed to.

Seanad amendment No. 12:

Seanad amendment agreed to.

Seanad amendment No. 13:

Seanad amendment agreed to.

Seanad amendment No. 14:

Seanad amendment agreed to.

Seanad amendment No. 15:

Seanad amendment agreed to.

Seanad amendment No. 16:

Seanad amendment agreed to.

Seanad amendment No. 17:

Seanad amendment agreed to.

Seanad amendment No. 18:

Seanad amendment agreed to.

Photo of Catherine ConnollyCatherine Connolly (Galway West, Independent)
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Seanad amendments Nos. 19 and 21 are related and may be discussed together by agreement.

Seanad amendment No. 19:

Photo of Roderic O'GormanRoderic O'Gorman (Dublin West, Green Party)
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A new subsection 13H inserts a review clause for the provisions under the new Part IIA of the Parental Leave Act 1998. These amendments make it explicit in the legislation that the review will include a consideration of whether the right to request flexible working should be extended to all employees. This has always been the intention in bringing forward these proposals but the provision will ensure that this a requirement of the review. I recommend that these amendments be accepted.

Seanad amendment agreed to.

Seanad amendment No. 20:

Seanad amendment agreed to.

Seanad amendment No. 21:

Seanad amendment agreed to.

Seanad amendment No. 22:

Seanad amendment agreed to.

Seanad amendment No. 23:

Seanad amendment agreed to.

Seanad amendment No. 24:

Seanad amendment agreed to.

Photo of Catherine ConnollyCatherine Connolly (Galway West, Independent)
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Seanad amendments Nos. 25 to 28, inclusive, are related and may be discussed together by agreement.

Seanad amendment No. 25:

5:52 pm

Photo of Roderic O'GormanRoderic O'Gorman (Dublin West, Green Party)
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7 o’clock

Section 15 of the Bill amends section 27 of the Parental Leave Act which provides for the retention of records to be held by an employer in respect of the forms of leave and entitlements under the Act. Section 15 provides that those records relating to leave for medical care purposes and the right to request a flexible working arrangement be held for three years only. The requirements of the general data protection regulation are that third party data should only be held as long as necessary. An extension of this period could be in breach of those regulations. There is an obligation on an employer to destroy a record.

Amendment No. 27 includes in the Bill explicit provision that records related to domestic violence leave be held for three years. Amendments Nos. 25, 26 and 28 are further technical amendments flowing from the amendment. I recommend that these amendments be accepted.

Seanad amendment agreed to.

Seanad amendment No. 26:

Seanad amendment agreed to.

Seanad amendment No. 27:

Seanad amendment agreed to.

Seanad amendment No. 28:

Seanad amendment agreed to.

Seanad amendment No. 29:

Seanad amendment agreed to.

Seanad amendment No. 30:

Seanad amendment agreed to.

Seanad amendment No. 31:

Seanad amendment agreed to.

Seanad amendment No. 32:

Seanad amendment agreed to.

Seanad amendment No. 33:

Seanad amendment agreed to.

Seanad amendment No. 34:

Seanad amendment agreed to.

Seanad amendment No. 35:

Seanad amendment agreed to.

Seanad amendment No. 36:

Seanad amendment agreed to.

Seanad amendment No. 37:

Seanad amendment agreed to.

Seanad amendment No. 38:

Seanad amendment agreed to.

Seanad amendment No. 39:

Seanad amendment agreed to.

Seanad amendment No. 40:

Seanad amendment agreed to.

Seanad amendment No. 41:

Seanad amendment agreed to.

Seanad amendment No. 42:

Seanad amendment agreed to.

Seanad amendment No. 43:

Seanad amendment agreed to.

Seanad amendment No. 44:

Seanad amendment agreed to.

Seanad amendments reported.

Photo of Catherine ConnollyCatherine Connolly (Galway West, Independent)
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That completes all of the amendments from the Seanad. Agreement on the Seanad amendments is reported to the House and a message will be sent to Seanad Éireann acquainting it accordingly.