I want to ask about the three weeks' additional parental benefit announced in budget 2021. The Tánaiste will know Sinn Féin brought forward a motion to increase maternity leave by 12 weeks in recognition of the impact of Covid-19 on parents, particularly those with newborns. The Government's solution was this increased leave. Any leave is welcome but there is little detail about when parents can actually take it. I understand that legislation is required. Can it be brought forward this year, given the difficulties faced by parents in accessing childcare and needing to return to work? Can the relevant Department publish information in the meantime to allow parents to plan for what this three weeks' additional leave means?

Legislation is required and I know the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth, Deputy O'Gorman, is progressing that as quickly as he can. My Department will process the payment as quickly as possible. It is important to say that the more than 6,000 officials in the Department of Social Protection are working flat out. They have processed something in the region of 20 million payments since last March. It has been a huge undertaking and we have had to adapt a number of the IT systems. We are currently adapting the system to pay the Christmas bonus so there is a considerable amount of work going on. When the legislation is passed, we will work on it as quickly as we can.