Margaret Cox (Fianna Fail)

Let me cite a further example based on my having spent three terms of pregnancy while a Member of this House, bearing in mind the circumstances that would obtain if I, as a Senator, did not earn enough money to allow me to have only one job. It is quite acceptable for people to say a man must earn a certain amount to support a family but women may also need to earn such an amount. No maternity leave is available in this House and I did not take mine. If I wanted to take the maternity leave to which I would be entitled on foot of another socially insured job — I have two jobs, for which I was paid during all my pregnancies and in respect of which I paid stamps — I could not do so because I would have no right not to be here according to the legislation. I have no mechanism to allow me to be absent from this House during maternity leave from another job.

If the Minister of State, Deputy Killeen, tells me I am wrong, I will be a very happy lady and say the position as outlined is fair enough. I cannot believe section 6 proposes that we remove a woman's right to maternity benefit if, by choice, she holds two jobs. The concept of choice is important in this regard, bearing in mind the provision whereby a woman was once obliged to take four weeks of her leave before her baby was born, as was stipulated many years ago by the legislation, the EU or some man in the then Department of Social Welfare. This is a serious matter. If I am wrong, I will apologise for my misinterpretation, but if I am right I will table an amendment to delete section 6. It is inequitable because nobody should be forced to forfeit a right by virtue of her having two sources of employment. Maternity leave does not mean one is incapacitated from doing a second job for 24 hours per day and seven days per week. We have rights and entitlements.

Moving away from the issue of legislative technicalities, let us consider our vision for social welfare and its role in providing for and looking after those who need our assistance in a sustainable economy. Let us also refer to child care, as mentioned by Senator Terry. I do not understand why no Minister for Social and Family Affairs over the past ten years has outlined a vision to introduce paid parental leave within five years. Why not? Do we not believe it is important to allow a parent with a child under one to take time off without being forced, for financial reasons, to re-enter employment after her maternity leave is finished?

I recognise fully the changes made in respect of the maternity benefit. They are very welcome and necessary but we cannot stop there. Where is our vision for our children? My vision, under a Fianna Fáil Government or any other Government, be it led by Fine Gael or another party, would be to have parental leave available for either the father or mother in circumstances that would allow him or her make an economic choice to stay at home with his or her child. This choice would otherwise be impossible.

Let us think outside the box because we have sufficient time and the appropriate economic circumstances to do so. The carer's benefit allows people to take time out from work to work as carers. The Departments of Enterprise, Trade and Employment and Social and Family Affairs should make a job sharer's benefit available and put in place facilities that allow women or men, but most likely women, to job share or engage in part-time work without losing entitlements. If one has a part-time job, one does not receive a social welfare top-up. If a person has a part-time job because he or she is looking after his or her two or three children at home, to whom he or she wants to devote time, surely the Department of Social and Family Affairs should look after him or her.

We need to think outside the box and consider what vision would best produce a society in which one could raise children properly and give them the best of everything, and which would allow parents to be parents rather than having them engage in a rat run requiring them to get up at 7 a.m., bundle their children into the car, come home at 7 p.m. and bundle the children into bed without knowing what is happening in their lives. This is not fair.

When I first entered this House in 1997, I drew attention to the need for social welfare recipients to receive carer's benefit. I said to the Minister on the previous occasion he spoke about social welfare that this benefit comprises the most significant reform recognising the role of women and allowing them to retain social welfare payments.

My vision also requires that the €1,000 universal child care payment be made available to all children under seven years and six months. Let us advance this vision every year. As we have said in the House that school-going children of six come home at 12.30 p.m., thus requiring one to make child care arrangements. Let us address this.

The Minister has made some changes regarding community welfare officers and the rent allowance. It is nice to be in the comfort zone such that we can talk about a particular vision we would like to see realised. As I stated previously, the rent allowance scheme is creating a landlord class and making property developers and owners increasingly rich every day.