Results 261-280 of 375 for speaker:Margaret Cox

Seanad: Maternity Protection (Amendment) Bill 2003: Report and Final Stages. (11 Dec 2003)

Margaret Cox: I thank the Minister of State for examining this issue. This is the third or fourth time we have received this advice from the Attorney General's office and from the EU Commission. If a child goes back into hospital before the mother has taken her 14 weeks maternity leave, the legislation takes away from her right to maternity leave. If the child is hospitalised the mother could go back to...

Seanad: Maternity Protection (Amendment) Bill 2003: Report and Final Stages. (11 Dec 2003)

Margaret Cox: I direct these remarks to the officials in the Department. The Minister of State, Deputy O'Dea, undertook to examine this issue again and it is obvious that he has done so. However, the points raised on Second and Committee Stages are still valid and need to be reiterated. The Minister of State made a significant and very welcome change with regard to the timing of maternity leave by allowing...

Seanad: Maternity Protection (Amendment) Bill 2003: Report and Final Stages. (11 Dec 2003)

Margaret Cox: My understanding is that Government amendment No. 9 addresses the issue Senator Tuffy has raised. In theory, therefore, it achieves what would be intended by the Labour Party's amendment No. 10.

Seanad: Maternity Protection (Amendment) Bill 2003: Report and Final Stages. (11 Dec 2003)

Margaret Cox: I thank the Minister of State and his officials for the time, attention and interest they had in this area and the fact that they listened to all our comments. The Minister of State, Deputy O'Dea, said on Committee Stage that he enjoyed the debate. He should be commended because he took on board many of the suggestions made and came back with significant changes.

Seanad: Maternity Protection (Amendment) Bill 2003: Committee Stage. (2 Dec 2003)

Margaret Cox: I thank the Minister for listening to concerns expressed on Second Stage, although I had no doubt that he would do so. Since entering this House in 1987, I have been attempting to have the change in question made to the legislation. I had discussions with the then Attorney General, Deputy McDowell, and the previous Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform, Deputy O'Donoghue. The current...

Seanad: Maternity Protection (Amendment) Bill 2003: Committee Stage. (2 Dec 2003)

Margaret Cox: Under legislation to protect women's rights, particularly in the area of maternity leave, difficulties for employers cannot be created. They will question whether they should employ women if an environment is created in which their rights are onerous. Most employers work as hard as they can to create an environment whereby they can organise locum cover for women on maternity leave. Many...

Seanad: Maternity Protection (Amendment) Bill 2003: Committee Stage. (2 Dec 2003)

Margaret Cox: Perhaps the Minister might use the same approach as previously, whereby a right is only as good as the use people make of it. I suggest that, in a situation where a baby is in hospital, it does not make sense that one cannot postpone one's maternity leave if one has not taken the 14 weeks. That would be ridiculous. I appreciate the Minister of State's sympathetic approach in the matter and I...

Seanad: Maternity Protection (Amendment) Bill 2003: Committee Stage. (2 Dec 2003)

Margaret Cox: Much of this section refers to notifying the employee in writing. The question of whether e-mail is covered should be clarified. From an employer's point of view, I have noted that many people would send an e-mail to an employer in notifications. In the overall context of the Bill, we must clarify that we are not just talking about handwritten notifications.

Seanad: Maternity Protection (Amendment) Bill 2003: Committee Stage. (2 Dec 2003)

Margaret Cox: No, a letter would go automatically, but an employer should also accept an e-mail communication.

Seanad: Maternity Protection (Amendment) Bill 2003: Committee Stage. (2 Dec 2003)

Margaret Cox: I support Senator Tuffy's amendment. I am familiar with antenatal classes in the Western Health Board region. In many cases there are four classes. It is always recommended that these take place prior to month eight in case anything happens in the last four weeks and the delivery is premature. Given the small cost to employers of these classes, many of them will facilitate the employee by...

Seanad: Maternity Protection (Amendment) Bill 2003: Committee Stage. (2 Dec 2003)

Margaret Cox: I fully accept the position of Senator White and the other views put forward. I brought my child to Dublin to breastfeed and continued to breastfeed when I was back working in Galway. It is a huge challenge and we need to recognise the efforts of many women to continue breastfeeding for as long as they can. The amendment recognises the change in policy and this is most welcome. While it is...

Seanad: Maternity Protection (Amendment) Bill 2003: Committee Stage. (2 Dec 2003)

Margaret Cox: Senator Henry's amendment No. 35 relates to the definition of "special". It is important to ensure that we do not establish the right to a special room. If employers believe they have to provide special facilities in the form of air-conditioned rooms, they will say they cannot do so. Elsewhere in the Bill, a section provides that employers do not have to go to extreme costs. Senator Henry's...

Seanad: Maternity Protection (Amendment) Bill 2003: Committee Stage. (2 Dec 2003)

Margaret Cox: Senator Henry's amendment could be amended to provide that while facilities must be provided in the workplace, they need not be special breastfeeding facilities. The Bill states an employer shall not be required to provide breastfeeding facilities in the workplace if the provision of such facilities would give rise to a cost other than a nominal cost. We must define the facilities. They do...

Seanad: Maternity Protection (Amendment) Bill 2003: Committee Stage. (2 Dec 2003)

Margaret Cox: It will not be in the antechamber, because that is not allowed in Leinster House.

Seanad: Maternity Protection (Amendment) Bill 2003: Committee Stage. (2 Dec 2003)

Margaret Cox: I ask the Minister of State for some advice on this area and to put some scenarios to him. Amendment No. 40, which is proposed by the Government, contains the phrase "if he is employed under a contract of employment". I would like the Minister of State to clarify some concerns I have about this provision. When a mother dies during childbirth, for example, the father may not be entitled to...

Seanad: Maternity Protection (Amendment) Bill 2003: Committee Stage. (2 Dec 2003)

Margaret Cox: I would like to ask about leave and the payment of benefit. One of the benefits I mentioned relates to the payment of maternity benefit, which reaches a maximum of €175 per week. If a mother who is in receipt of maternity benefit dies when her child is very young, the father should inherit her right to receive payments, even if he is in employment and has the right to take time off. Perhaps...

Seanad: Maternity Protection (Amendment) Bill 2003: Committee Stage. (2 Dec 2003)

Margaret Cox: If he is in employment, he will not be entitled to some other form of social welfare.

Seanad: Maternity Protection (Amendment) Bill 2003: Committee Stage. (2 Dec 2003)

Margaret Cox: He will probably have to take time off work, however.

Seanad: Maternity Protection (Amendment) Bill 2003: Committee Stage. (2 Dec 2003)

Margaret Cox: It is something we could address with the Department of Social and Family Affairs. If we are to transfer the right to have time off and pension entitlements, we should also deal with this issue. Amendment agreed to.

Seanad: Maternity Protection (Amendment) Bill 2003: Committee Stage. (2 Dec 2003)

Margaret Cox: Next Tuesday, subject to the agreement of the Whips. I said on the first amendment that it was indicative of the Minister's commitment to this area and the whole equality agenda that he took on board the issues we raised with him regarding the points made here on Second Stage. However, I am still very concerned about the issue of maternity rights for Members of the Oireachtas and local...