Some 85% of women affected by pregnancy loss before 23 weeks experience difficulty in returning to work. The need for appropriate workplace supports has been well established and a previous Government commissioned the PLACES report, published in 2004, which set out the social, health and employment impacts of early pregnancy loss. The new women and girls strategy committed to advancing reproductive healthcare and related leave entitlements. However, deliberations on two Private Member's Bills in these Houses to provide for that statutory leave have stalled in both Houses. The Government said that it needed more time to develop its own plans. Will the Minister clarify the current status of Government proposals to introduce statutory leave for pregnancy loss under 23 weeks and when will legislation be expected to be brought forward?

I thank the Deputy for the important question. I recognise that it is a very different Department in respect of statutory leave but I do want to say how we are looking towards a new maternity strategy and how we are trying to recognise all stages of pregnancy and the impact on women of the different adverse pregnancy outcomes that can happen. I will speak with my colleague, the Minister of State, Deputy Colm Burke, more broadly about what the Deputy has specifically raised.