Margaret Cox (Fianna Fail)

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 not need to include a glorified, air-conditioned room. A definition of this sort would protect the employer as well as the employee. Otherwise, it could be the case that if I wished to breastfeed and my employer said I could use a chair in a room, I might decide the facilities provided were not good enough.

If the childminder is close to the workplace, many employees might prefer to have their child brought to them. The issue is the definition of "special" as it relates to appropriate facilities for a mother who chooses to breastfeed at work.