Labour TD and health spokesperson Marie Sherlock has said that government plans to introduce paid leave for pregnancy loss “do not go far enough.”
Sherlock has urged Minister for Enterprise, Peter Burke, to take up the Labour Bill to ensure quicker implementation as it has passed the Seanad, and is due to begin detailed scrutiny at the Enterprise Committee.
The Dublin Central TD was speaking after reports in the Sunday Independent indicated that the government were planning to introduce just five days of paid leave for pregnancy loss before 23 weeks, well below the European average.
“Over five years ago on International Women’s Day, Labour introduced a Bill to provide vital leave to women when it matters most. Our Reproductive Health Leave Bill would ensure women who experience the tragic loss of an early pregnancy would be entitled to 20 days off work, and anyone seeking fertility treatments would be entitled to up to 10 days leave to attend appointments,” she said.
“We progressed the Bill in the Seanad in January 2022 and it was unopposed by the government, progressing later to the Dáil. In November 2022, Labour attempted to introduce the policy by amending Government’s Work Life Balance and Misconduct Provisions Bill 2022, but our amendment was ruled out of order,” she explained.
“In January 2024, PLACES, the UCC research group instructed by the government to carry out a report into pregnancy loss, submitted its report to the Department of Children. Yet again, no action was taken.”
“Earlier this year, I wrote to the Oireachtas Committee on Enterprise, Tourism and Employment on progressing the Bill through detailed scrutiny and it confirmed it would be agreeable to carry out detailed scrutiny of our Bill and was minded to carry out a public consultation on the Bill.”
Sherlock said “all that has been missing is government action and now we finally have some movement. I would urge the Minister to take up Labour’s bill, which has already passed the Seanad. I would welcome the opportunity to work with him on amendments to ensure the law is passed as quickly as possible.
“Labour initiated this bill working with unions like the INTO to progress workplace protections for people seeking fertility treatment that would represent a step in the right direction in terms of equality in the workplace. Labour’s Bill provides for access to 10 days leave for treatments like IVF to make sure that workers no longer have to use annual leave for treatment. The government should not leave this provision out of it’s own proposals,” the Labour health spokesperson said.