The Parental Leave (Amendment) Bill 2017, which was approved unanimously by the Dáil in June 2018, is due to be debated in the Seanad today. We heard in recent days that the Government had taken a different position and flip-flopped on the issue and would block the Bill in the Seanad. We have since learned that that is not the approach, but that the Government has instead decided to water down the Bill by extending its implementation period and introducing amendments on Report Stage. For people relying on the Bill, that is not acceptable. It had unanimous support in this House and on Second Stage in the Seanad and it needs to be passed and implemented without delay to ensure there is an extension of unpaid parental leave of eight weeks to parents of children under eight years of age.

The Bill is essential, which is why everyone in this House approved it. Will the Minister outline the Government's position on trying to water down the Bill as it goes through the Seanad?

I thank the Deputy for the question. The Government is not trying to water down the Bill at all. Rather, we are trying to make progress, working with the Bill's sponsors, on getting it through. It underwent no pre-legislative scrutiny, which caused problems in terms of ensuring that all of the appropriate bodies were engaged with to understand all of its consequences, for example, cost implications and the resourcing of essential areas. We fully support the principles of the Bill. It is before the Seanad this afternoon and the Minister of State, Deputy Stanton, is leading on behalf of the Government. We are trying to find amendments that will have the agreement of all sides of the Upper House.

Is the Government trying to extend the implementation period?