Erin McGreehan (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

The Minister is very welcome to the House. It is really positive that we are bringing this Bill forward. I congratulate the representatives from the Irish Cancer Society who are in the Gallery. They have pushed and advocated for this along with the women whose lives this has affected. Now, we are here today. I congratulate them and all the women who told their stories. I also want to congratulate my Fianna Fáil colleagues, Senator Ardagh, as chair of the cross-party cancer group and Deputy Jim O'Callaghan who brought a similar Bill to the Houses.

To provide for maternity leave for the treatment of serious illness for Members of the Oireachtas is something we have spoken about. Senator O'Loughlin beside me is head of the Irish Women's Parliamentary Caucus in Leinster House. It is absolutely a day to celebrate and say that female voices have been heard and listened to and actioned. There is absolutely no negative there.

There is no point going through the Bill because it is very simple and concise and very effective. I thank the Minister for his work in making sure we had this in what are potentially the last weeks of the Government and his term of office. I thank him for his support. I wish the very best of luck to all the women who are going to be beneficiaries of this measure because sadly, women with cancer need this. There are a very small number who will benefit so much from this. I know people who have gone through serious cancer treatment and found out that they needed it during pregnancy. It is devastating for them and so worrying for their families. The time after birth and first few months after having a baby are incredibly precious. This Government and this State should at all times support and encourage that and absolutely, the female Members of the Houses of the Oireachtas should have the entitlement to maternity leave. It is antiquated and old-fashioned that we do not. Thankfully, an old Parliament like ours can modernise.