Sheila Terry (Fine Gael)

I welcome the improvements in maternity leave which came into force yesterday and I look forward to further improvements in that area over the coming 12 months. I wish to draw the Leader's attention to an item that appeared on the news last night when a representative of a small business expressed concern that the new maternity leave arrangements will impose a cost on small businesses and that it will lead to discrimination against women. Faced with two young applicants for a job, one male and the other female, an employer will opt for the male because obviously——