Mary White (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

Yesterday morning I raised the matter of the harsh cut by the Government of maternity benefit to women who are on leave having their babies, It is important to reiterate the point I made that we are in a male dominated environment in the Oireachtas.

The senior civil servants who draw up the budgets are also male-dominated. A lack of respect is shown to women who have babies while working and putting their energies into their jobs. It is not easy to be pregnant while working. It is physically demanding. The men in the Department of Finance have made a cold and ruthless decision to cut maternity benefit.