Marie Sherlock (Labour) | Oireachtas source

I wish to relay the frustration that is being communicated to me by email from many families across the country - they have also been in contact with the National Women's Council of Ireland and the Irish Congress of Trade Unions - regarding the delay in extending parents' leave from two weeks to five. It is worth recalling what was promised. Last summer, many mothers and families were unable to access childcare because so many childcare facilities would not take on children under the age of one. They wanted to return to their jobs, but were unable to access childcare. At that time, they were promised that there would be an extension of three weeks to parent's leave, and I distinctly recall the dismay when it was announced that it would commence in November. That was last summer. In the autumn we realised that the promise of November would not happen. It has now been moved to April of this year. In December, I understand that the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth, Deputy O'Gorman, brought a memorandum to the Cabinet with the intention of initiating legislation in the Houses, presumably in the Dáil, in January regarding the extension of parent's leave from to two to five weeks. It is now the second week of February and that legislation has not been initiated.

It is important to reflect on what is at stake. Women are trying to hold on to their jobs and also to find childcare for their children and, in particular, babies. I have talked to many childcare providers. They are trying to do the best job possible in terms of keeping Covid-19 out of the premises and looking after the children, but many feel unable to take on children under one. The stakes are even greater for lone parents because there is no second parent to be able to share the workload. I ask the Leader to investigate when we will get this legislation, as it is urgent. As matters stand, the extension of parent's leave is too late for many families, but we must see it sooner rather than later.

The second issue I wish to raise briefly is the first matter on the Order of Business, a motion that Seanad Éireann approve the regulations under the Dumping at Sea Act 1996, without debate. I and my party are deeply uneasy about this. I understand that it relates to dealing with offshore installations that are coming to the end of their use. I believe there must be a debate now about the appropriateness of the 1996 and 2009 Acts with regard to dumping at sea and, in particular, the use of offshore installations. A question must be raised here. Given that there is a ban on the future extraction of fossil fuels in our seas, there is no point keeping something in the ground if we are going to pollute the sea as a result of these offshore installations.