This morning, the National Women's Council of Ireland and a group of parents, mostly mothers, held a demonstration outside Leinster House in support of the call for an extension to maternity leave and pay. During the Covid-19 crisis, many women have called for a 12-week extension because the emergency has fundamentally impacted on and changed the nature of the important time that they have to spend with their new babies.

Rugadh leanaí i lár na géarchéime seo agus tá deacrachtaí ag roinnt teaghlaigh mar gheall ar Covid-19 agus mar gheall ar easpa tacaíochta ón Rialtas. Caithfidh an Rialtas saoire mháithreachais a leathnú chun faoiseamh a thabhairt do theaghlaigh atá faoi bhrú.

On 11 June, the National Women's Council handed in a petition signed by more than 28,000 people supporting this demand. It gave that petition to the then Taoiseach, now Tánaiste, Deputy Varadkar. At that time, Deputy Varadkar said that he would give full and meaningful consideration to the request for the extension. The programme for Government commits to extending paid parental leave for parents to allow them to spend more time with their baby during the first year and although the language is vague, it raises the expectation that the Government will now act.

Extending maternity leave and pay is the right thing to do, particularly in these times of public health emergency, during which women have given birth without their partner present, they have faced the first few months of motherhood without access to the usual important supports, and the disruption caused by the Covid-19 crisis has consumed time that should have been about the mother and her new baby. What usually characterises this important time has been replaced by immense levels of stress, as the Taoiseach knows. Covid-19 has had a real effect on these families and it has been my view for some time that maternity leave in this State is not fit for purpose. The scheme is unfair and outdated, but perhaps how we remedy that is a discussion for another day. For now, I ask the Taoiseach to confirm that his Government will do the right thing and that he will extend maternity leave and maternity pay for the 12 weeks requested.

I thank the Deputy for the question. I am conscious that Deputy Bríd Smith raised this with the outgoing Taoiseach, now Tánaiste, Deputy Leo Varadkar, some time ago in the context of the significant impact on women, particularly those on maternity leave, that Covid-19 has had, especially with regard to access to the normal supports such as childcare, baby groups and so on that was denied to mothers during this critical period.

Admhaím go bhfuil agus go raibh brú ar na mná sin filleadh i gcomhthéacs an choróinvíris. Níl aon amhras gur sin an scéal agus tá an Rialtas ag déanamh scrúdú ar an gceist, ach níl sí simplí. Tá an-chuid laistigh den cheist, agus tá roinnt le déanamh fós, go háirithe ó thaobh réiteach na ceiste.

The Department of Justice and Equality has policy responsibility for maternity leave while the Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection pays the benefit. This matter is being examined by the Government and there is consultation between the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection, the Minister for Justice and Equality, although that Department is breaking up, and the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform.

The retrospective nature of what is proposed may create legal and policy difficulties. For example, some of the women who have exhausted their maternity benefit are now back at work or on the pandemic unemployment payment. Other stakeholders are involved and there will be consultation with other stakeholders on this, particularly employers who are facing challenges with Covid-19. In that context, I spoke to the Ministers yesterday. They are engaged in consultations on this issue. It is our intention to come back with a very considered response on the issue shortly and to deal with the matters I have outlined to the Deputy.

In that case, we are of one mind. We all recognise that those women and couples who have had children in this period have faced very considerable difficulties and stress without all of the normal supports that new parents generally enjoy when they bring home their newborn.

This is a very straightforward request. The Taoiseach should not hide behind a veil of complexity. The simple facts are that these women need additional time. They need additional leave and they need to be sure that that additional leave will be paid leave. To me, this is very straightforward, not least because childcare provision is now under such stress. There is no certainty for many parents that they will be able to get adequate and appropriate childcare, particularly for newborn infants.

I again ask the Taoiseach to act swiftly. I understand that the Minister for Justice and Equality in the previous Government had some jurisdiction on these issues. Responsibility for equality has now been moved to a different Department. I do not wish this issue to get lost in the labyrinth or the bureaucratic machinations of the new Government. This is not a time for delay. This is a time for timely action. The matter is time sensitive because many women are now on maternity leave. They are looking at the prospect and the pressure of returning to work. As his first act in government, I ask the Taoiseach to act now, make a clear decision on the matter, act fairly and do the right thing by Irish women and these new mothers.

It is our intention to do the right thing but to do it in a considered way. It is not as simple as the Deputy has outlined and there are both legal and policy complexities with it. The estimated cost is €78 million and it would affect about 24,500 women. That is being considered by the relevant Departments. I do not intend to come in here and say what might be popular or just give a simple affirmative response. I want to see a considered response from the Departments concerned. It will come to Government and obviously we will influence that. The Government will make a decision on it bearing in mind all the wider issues the Deputy also alluded to. The programme for Government gives very clear commitments to improving maternity leave, paternity leave as well as the wider strategy designed to improve the quality of life of mothers, particularly after their babies are born.