Legislation to provide paid leave for miscarriages to be brought to Cabinet
Kenneth Fox
Draft legislation providing women who suffer an early miscarriage with five days of paid leave is set to be brought to Cabinet in the coming weeks.
The bill would also apply to women who receive an abortion before 12 weeks of pregnancy.
It comes more than five years after Labour first introduced a proposal to provide 20 days' leave for early pregnancy loss.
Party health spokesperson Marie Sherlock says all women who lose a pregnancy deserve compassionate leave.
She urged the Minister to take up the Labour Bill to ensure quicker implementation as it has passed the Seanad and is due to begin detailed scrutiny at the Enterprise Committee.
Deputy Sherlock said: “The government plans to introduce only five days of paid leave for pregnancy loss before 23 weeks, including for terminations, at a cost of up to €10 million.
"While we do not have full details of Minister Burke’s proposals yet, this limited progress is welcome, but it unfortunately does not go far enough.
“Over five years ago, on International Women’s Day the Labour Party introduced a Bill to provide vital leave to women when it matters most.
"Our Reproductive Health Leave Bill would ensure women who experience the tragic loss of an early pregnancy would be entitled to 20 days off work, and anyone seeking fertility treatments would be entitled to up to 10 days leave to attend appointments.
“We progressed the Bill in the Seanad in January 2022, and it was unopposed by Government progressing later to the Dáil.
"In November 2022, Labour attempted to introduce the policy by amending the Government’s Work Life Balance and Misconduct Provisions Bill 2022, but our amendment was ruled out of order.
“In January 2024, PLACES, the UCC research group instructed by the Government to carry out a report into pregnancy loss, submitted its report to the Department of Children. Yet again, no action was taken.
