Patricia Stephenson (Social Democrats)

I thank the Sinn Féin Senators and particularly Senator Ryan for introducing this legislation. I speak in full support of it. It is important to note the bravery Senator Ryan has consistently shown when she has tabled amendments and legislation, and particularly today in sharing her story, because it is not easy and I know it will not be easy for any other Senator here who may be doing the same.

This is a Bill that recognises the very deep emotional, physical and psychological impact of pregnancy loss and the trauma that goes along with it. For too long, this form of grief has been completely unseen in our society. It has been unspoken in our workplaces and our legislation and it is too often absent from our social discourse. Yet, as we have heard, one in four pregnancies ends in loss, a figure that is probably highly underestimated. It affects women in every part of this country. Behind every one of those losses is a woman and her partner who may be suffering in silence, expected to return to work as though nothing had happened. I particularly commend this Bill for including partners and recognising the difficult role they face when affected by pregnancy loss, which is an additional stigma men face when they have to express these things.

From a feminist perspective, this Bill is a powerful acknowledgement that reproductive labour and reproductive grief are very real things, that women’s bodies and experiences must no longer be ignored in our labour laws. It is very much a rejection of the old structures that women are expected to endure quietly and a step towards laws that respect the complexity and cost of female embodiment. Policy should reflect empathy, fairness and the lived realities of people. The Bill aligns with those values by providing paid leave during pregnancy loss and ensuring workers are not forced to pick between their annual leave and financial security and taking time to properly grieve and heal.

I support the Bill’s inclusion of an opt-in confidential register so that babies can be officially recognised should parents wish, as this gives dignity to life no matter how short. It is about ensuring that, within the spaces of our records, laws and public life, that pregnancy loss is not invisible.

It is often said that you can tell a lot about a society by how it treats people in their most vulnerable moments. I believe this Bill is very much a litmus test of that, of our compassion and maturity as a legislature, and of how seriously we take reproductive health and care.

I am deeply disappointed that a timed amendment has been put on this Bill. I do not think it reflects any urgency or sincerity. As Senator Ryan has said, this is not a party political issue. This is a women’s rights issue. I know it has cross-party support in the Chamber among women and among men as well, so the amendment is really disappointing. It is not a good sign of things to come if a Bill that has so much benefit for women across society has a timed amendment on it. I am very disappointed and concerned that this is the way things will go in the next four years.