This lockdown has placed huge pressure and burdens on families. Many parents are unable to work because of childcare responsibilities with schools being closed.

In recognition of the additional burden being placed on parents as a result of the pandemic the German Government has just this month increased working parents' entitlement to paid leave to care for their children on full pay from four weeks per year to eight weeks. I ask the Government and the Taoiseach whether they will commit to introducing a similar right to paid parental leave in this country. We have a situation where many parents have already used all of their annual leave and are now stuck in a desperate situation. We are going to publish the paid childcare leave Bill 2021 next week to provide for leave on full pay for all working parents who are compelled to care at home for children of any age due to Covid-19 measures, such as school or childcare closures, or because their children are sick or injured. I hope the Government will support it and move on with the legislation.

Throughout the pandemic the Government has provided unprecedented and extraordinary supports across the board, both with income supports for those who have lost work and passed measures to provide additional parental leave. There was also support for employers and the jobs they support through the employment wage subsidy scheme, EWSS, the Covid restrictions support scheme, CRSS, the pandemic unemployment payment, PUP, and a range of other supports. Without question, the level of engagement by Government with different sectors of society has been unprecedented and has been very broadly based. I have not seen the Deputy's proposed legislation but the Government will examine that and will develop a response to it when it sees it.