Maria Byrne (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the Minister of State and his officials to the House. I also welcome the positive move to have this legislation in place by 1 September.

The Bill sends out a positive message in terms of gender equality. I agree with most of what has been said already but I would like to make a few additional points. The Bill provides a number of guidelines for dealing with the abuse of the paternity Bill, which is welcome given past experience in terms of abuse of payments and so on. I welcome that this legislation is also applicable to self-employed persons. We all know farmers, electricians and sole traders who up to now, if out of work, would not have had payments. It is positive that for the first time the self-employed are being thought about.

Section 38 provides that an employee has the right to return to the job he or she held immediately prior to the period of paternity leave and that such a person should not be disqualified from applying for promotional opportunities which arose during the period he or she was on paternity leave. In Britain, a father is entitled to take time off to accompany the partner or surrogate mother to two antenatal appointments. Is it proposed to include such a provision in this Bill? If not, is it something that could be considered? The lead-up to the arrival of the child can be a stressful time. I support the inclusion of any measure that would ensure support for the expectant mother.

I would like clarification from the Minister of State on whether the individual taking paternity leave could be someone other than the biological father. For example, in Britain the husband of an expectant mother is also entitled to take the leave. The definition of "relevant parent" in section 2 of the Bill may well provide for this situation. Perhaps, the Minister of State would clarify if that is the case.