Margaret Cox (Fianna Fail)

I was hoping to put forward an amendment in respect of parental and paternity leave. We discussed this matter on Second Stage. Now that maternity leave has been extended to 26 weeks — people can also take unpaid leave — and there is to be increased maternity benefit, the next step in nurturing families is to consider the issue of paid parental leave. The Minister will be aware that either parent can take up to 13 weeks unpaid parental leave per child under the age of eight. We must focus and set a target for whatever Government and Minister will be in place next year. We must make a commitment to parents and children that there will be a benefit associated with parental leave. As I suggested to the Minister on Second Stage, we could commence the process by providing four weeks paid leave for either parent. In other words, one parent could take two weeks paid parental leave and his or her spouse or partner could take the other two. People have a right to parental leave but my concern now is to ensure they are given an entitlement to benefit.

On Second Stage, the Minister was asked whether he would consider allowing parents to share the maternity leave entitlement. That would be a retrograde step and I am sure the Minister will not even contemplate it. A situation cannot be allowed to arise where mothers would lose any of their entitlements. I support giving fathers more opportunities to be involved in the parenting of their children, particularly those of a very young age. That must be done as an add-on to maternity benefit, not by way of dividing that benefit between the mother and father. To do that would be to regress to the dark ages. While I understand the sentiments behind the idea as presented, I hope the Minister will never consider such a move.