Mary O'Rourke (Fianna Fail)

I welcome the Minister of State and the Bill. The legislation was promised under Sustaining Progress. It is the result of the social partnership process and endless discussions between all the relevant bodies, including employee and employer representatives and the voluntary pillar.

Listening to Senator O'Meara, I recalled my days of child rearing when parental leave was not available. Teachers who gave birth to a child went to work the following Monday, which was amazing and awful at the same time. No provision was made for those who adopted a child, as my husband and I did with our second child. In the cases of birth and adoption, one went to school the next morning if one wanted to continue teaching.

I agree with Senator O'Meara's comments. The next generation of my family includes two daughters-in-law with young children. One daughter-in-law has two children, while the second has a baby with another due in early April.

Maternity leave has already been addressed in legislation. This Bill on parental leave is one of three Bills aimed at improving social legislation. We have so many reasons to be grateful to the European Union.