Catherine Ardagh (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Government for taking this Bill in Government time. It is very much appreciated. Fianna Fáil first introduced parental leave legislation in 1998. It is an initiative to which we are very much committed. The Bill extends the period of parental leave from 18 weeks to 26 and the timeframe within which parents may take that leave from eight years of age to 12. I thank the Social Democrats for initiating the Bill in the Dáil. Fianna Fáil and the Labour Party used their Private Members' time in the Seanad to bring forth this Bill and I thank colleagues across the House for facilitating its passage. I hope it will pass speedily through the Dáil in order that the many people waiting patiently for it to be enacted can benefit from it. They will be delighted with the progress made today.