Emer Currie
Dublin West · Fine Gael · Ireland
“I wish to begin by recognising the substantial work undertaken by the Government-led shared island initiative, the ESRI, academics and opinion leaders. Without that work, we simply could not have a debate of this quality.”
“This is not simply about replacing old buildings; this is about building a modern educational campus that reflects the needs and the wishes of the families in Dublin 7 and Dublin 15 for generations to come. The community has waited long enough.”
“Rather than simply replacing the existing buildings, they have come together with an ambitious proposal to create one educational campus on the existing site. This project has the potential to be one of the most significant primary school developments in the State. However, the project has been stalled at stage 2a since 2024.”
“Many of the economic gaps that will likely be highlighted in the wider debate as barriers to unification - productivity, earnings, disposable income, tax revenue and educational attainment - are not as inevitable as some would like us to believe.”
“However, Northern Ireland has outperformed many UK regions since Brexit, helped by the competitive advantage created through dual access to the UK and EU goods markets under the Windsor Framework. More recent research suggests the productivity gap is narrowing.”
“If you believe in a united Ireland, then making Northern Ireland more prosperous, a better place to live and a more attractive proposition for the people who are undecided about how they would vote in this referendum should not be a secondary objective; it should be central to achieving a united Ireland.”
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“The strategy itself states that average-speed cameras reduce collisions resulting in fatalities or serious injuries by 56% while fixed cameras reduce such collisions by 15%. If we know they work, why move cautiously? We currently have just nine fixed speed cameras and three average-speed cameras nationwide. That is obviously not enough. It is concerning that the strategy seems to talk itself out of expansion because of what it calls "downstream impacts". It suggests that too many offences might overwhelm the courts system. After identifying the benefits of cameras, it states that they should not operate 24 hours a day, that signage is an effective deterrent and that drivers will not know which buses carry the technology. Surely the answer is not to limit enforcement. The answer is to fix the system.”
“This strategy outlines structures for the management of speeding enforcement, red light cameras, bus lane cameras and the future enforcement of offences such as mobile phone use and seatbelt violations. My question is simple. Why does progress take as long as it does? Road deaths are at their highest level in a decade. Many of the same agencies that will sit on this camera enforcement oversight group already sit on the road safety leadership group. This raises questions as to why co-ordination takes so long. I am not just referring to the camera strategy but changes in respect of road safety in general. How effectively are the stakeholders working together? Ambition matters too.”
“I welcome the publication of the National Safety Camera Strategy. I fully support fixed speed cameras, average-speed cameras and bus lane enforcement because, without the infrastructure upgrades we desperately need, our public transport system is stuck. The core bus corridor for Dublin West remains tied up in legal challenges. Until that changes, our buses will continue to crawl through congestion at 12 km/h or 15 km/h, which is roughly the speed of a race walker. That is not a modern transport system. Bus lane enforcement matters. It is an essential short-term deterrent while we wait for long-term infrastructure delivery. If I am honest, my contribution today will probably be defined by welcoming progress while being frustrated at the pace of change.”
“Otherwise, we are heading towards the same pattern of community resistance and frustration at decisions being imposed instead of discussed. I ask the Minister to encourage the NTA to meet residents now while trust and goodwill remains, not after they have been lost.”
“The proposed scrapping of the 70 bus service under BusConnects represents a downgrade in public transport for Littlepace residents. This is a direct commuter service into the city centre, operating with reasonable frequency at peak times and then once per hour during the day. Under BusConnects, peak-time services would remain direct but during the day, they would be replaced with a connection at the Blanchardstown centre. I met the National Transport Authority, NTA, a month ago and it said the community will have access to a more frequent service. However, this is coming at the cost of a direct service. The community should have the final say on this. It is its service, not the NTA's. The NTA should learn from similar outcries in communities such as Chapelizod and Finglas and meet the residents now.”
“It is an issue for us as lawmakers. The law must be changed, and fast, and that is what the Bill aims to do. It will ensure that ECCE-only services, ECCE aftercare services capped at ECCE rates and childminders are exempt from commercial rates. It aims to do the right thing for the ECCE programme. It aims to do the right thing for small childcare providers, for children and for parents. There is a problem here that needs to be solved and the Bill proposes solutions. I look forward to working with all sides of the House to get the right solution.”
“Now, it seems that on foot of judgments by the valuation tribunal, Tailte Éireann has adopted a particular interpretation of the law that means some ECCE-only and ECCE services that offer short paid aftercare capped at ECCE rates are deemed to be for profit. This interpretation leading to rates for preschool services, and potentially for childminders, is the opposite of right; it is wrong. It is happening in Cork, Waterford and Kildare and it will come down the tracks for preschool services throughout the country. It will lead to ECCE services shutting down. The contradiction is stark. One arm of government is getting it right and funding ECCE and childcare, and wants to expand services, while another arm of the State is taking action that could do the opposite. Ultimately this seems to be an issue for the law.”
“I know these services and I know that at this rate of subvention they are very far away from being profit earning. I also know something much more important, which is that they are even further away from being profit driven. These services and the people running them are deeply committed to their sector and their communities, and they are working on very tight margins. They do not need to be told that because of the legal interpretation of a State agency they now have to pay commercial rates, but that is what is happening. In 2015, the law was amended requiring that services must be established and operated on a fully not-for-profit basis.”
“Ireland got it right when it introduced two years of free preschool education and, most critically, it got it right for children. The first five years of a child's life shapes 90% of their development. Our preschool education programme, taken up by 96% of eligible children throughout the country, improves child outcomes, reduces poverty and enhances lifelong employment prospects. Something that is not right is a legal interpretation of valuation law that could shut down ECCE services. ECCE-only childcare services have traditionally been exempt from commercial rates on the basis they are an educational service, which they are. These are preschool services receiving Government funding of €69 per child per week, up to €82 with core funding and a base rate of €14,400 per year.”
“I move: That leave be granted to introduce a Bill entitled an Act to amend the Valuation Act 2001 in order to provide that property occupied for the provision of early childhood care and education, where such is provided either otherwise than for profit or subject to Core Funding and caps on all provision at Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE Programme) rates, and property consisting wholly or partly of a building, which is used partly as a dwelling to a significant extent and occupied for childminding services, should not be rateable; and to provide for related matters. I will share time Deputy O'Shea. Despite the frequent howls from the hurlers on the ditch, this country gets it right on quite a lot of things. Sometimes it gets things very right, such as ECCE.”
“I move: That the Ceann Comhairle direct the Clerk of the Dáil to issue her Writ for the election of a Member to fill the vacancy which has occurred in the membership of the present Dáil consequent on the resignation of Deputy Paschal Donohoe, a Member for the constituency of Dublin Central.”
“I am raising childcare again today. There are not enough places and we have poorly planned spaces. Dublin West is peppered with either unused crèche buildings or sites where crèches were supposed to be built but were not. I know this is happening in other parts of the country too. Developers are currently required to supply crèche facilities in large housing developments but not to industry viable specifications. The result is that some crèches are built too small, are poorly designed or are badly located and they can often be left empty for years. We also have sites where crèches have not been built even though the developments are complete. During a childcare crisis, we cannot have childcare places going to waste. We must have a planning system that prioritises and designs for childcare.”
“This has helped transform Ireland into a leading funds management centre in Europe, supporting the export of Irish domiciled funds around the world. This was hard won and is the envy of many other countries.”
“The funds sector has been one of Ireland's real success stories in terms of exports. I ask the Government to commit to action to support and protect this important sector. Further to recent parliamentary questions I tabled, will the Minister of State provide an update on the transposition of the EU alternative investment fund managers directive in Ireland? This is particularly important in enabling the funds sector to continue to evolve and to develop new retail investment products for Irish savers. If he does not have an update on that now, perhaps he could seek one. In practical terms, Ireland's regulatory system has meant we have the products and solutions investors need and the environment for companies providing these to operate to high standards with commercial success and agility.”
“I thank the Minister of State for his comprehensive response, including the reference to growing exchange-traded funds, which is something I want to see. I welcome the reduction in the exit tax, but the issue that remains is the deemed disposal rule and taxing unrealised gains, which interrupts compounding and undermines long-term savings behaviour. That is something the Tánaiste is looking at. The Minister of State spoke about it earlier. I also note that new polling by Amárach highlights the resounding public support for Ireland's investment industry, with 90% saying it is important that Ireland remain competitive within the EU investment industry. The people of Ireland understand the value of attracting high-quality, regionally dispersed international jobs and investment.”
“Second, there is a need to update legislation and regulation to keep pace with the digital transformation which is occurring in international funds management. Digitalisation is a key Government priority, yet I fear that Ireland could fall behind other countries when it comes to the establishment of digital fund structures, also referred to as tokenisation. There is an urgent need for clarity and certainty on the legal basis under which tokenised funds and other digital fund structures can be established and operate in Ireland. If changes are needed, they should be expedited. Why is this important? It is important because it will ensure that Ireland's funds offering and ability to deliver solutions digitally, which is the direction of travel across the economy more generally, keeps us in the game.”
“There is a need for urgency in this regard. The updated Ireland for Finance offers a timely opportunity to deliver on the urgency needed on two fronts in particular. First, greater proportionality in how the State integrates regulation and supervision, with a focus on competitiveness and innovation. Ireland's financial rule book must be at the cutting edge of supporting the development and issuing of innovative new products. The principle of proportionality is embedded within EU financial services legislation. We must ensure that Ireland, therefore, does not fall behind other EU states that are subject to the same rules but that manage to move faster, avoid gold plating and overlapping regulation and, quite simply, offer a more compelling ecosystem within which to operate and innovate.”
“It was not just about the small geographical area off the docklands that we call the IFSC; the whole country benefited from the spirit of the centre. The Irish funds and asset management sector currently employs 20,000 people in every region of Ireland. Forty years on, we should not be complacent and take Ireland's historic attractiveness to international finance and investment for granted. One of the main things that made Ireland attractive was its dynamic, legislative and regulatory framework that promoted innovation and fostered competitiveness and growth. As the EU is pushing for greater market integration, Ireland must work even harder to stay ahead of the curve in order to remain attractive and have offering which is compelling. It is only by doing this that we can protect and grow Irish jobs.”
“Over recent months, I have been vocal in this House and elsewhere in supporting the Government's proposals for personal investment accounts and calling for further tax reforms to ensure that existing investors will not be not left behind. I have pushed the need to abolish the deemed disposal rule. As long deemed disposal exists in Ireland, it will discourage international funds, including many domiciled in Ireland, from being offered to Irish retail investors. This is because funds would have to create a complicated additional layer of accounting to make their offerings available to Irish investors. I want to talk about the industry we have in Ireland and the one that we could have. It is nearly 40 years since the International Financial Services Centre, IFSC, which has been a phenomenal success, was established.”
“I also welcome this debate. We have had great engagement on the Good Friday Agreement committee in our work examining the constitutional future of this island. Everybody has a voice. I welcome research and information from anywhere to contribute to this debate. Two things that have not been referenced are the productivity gap that exists North and South and the difference in educational attainment. There are great opportunities on an all-island basis. I am thinking about mid-Ulster, where I am originally from, in the engineering and manufacturing sectors so there are learnings across the board. Engagement is key and there will be no regrets on an all-island basis in progressing a financial and economic strategy that benefits anyone but that ultimately, from my perspective, bring us to a united Ireland.”
“I also want the proposed Blanchardstown and Tyrrelstown Luas lines envisaged under Luas 2050, the Glasnevin MetroLink station connecting DART+ West to the wider network and the expansion of grid capacity supporting businesses in the Dublin enterprise zone. All of this depends on our ability to deliver infrastructure at pace and at scale. That is why I support this Bill.”
“Right now, it can take up to two and a half hours on the 39A for a student who lives in Ongar to get to UCD. The number 38 bus departing the city at peak times travels an average of 12.5 km/h. A professional walker might match or even beat many of our primary commuter routes. I want DART+ West delivered and more capacity in the meantime. I want 2,500 homes in the new area of Dunsink, Dublin 15, delivered by 2029. It is not under the category of critical infrastructure, but I want the Royal Canal greenway delivered. It also featured in my 2019 leaflet and has been submitted to An Coimisiún Pleanála this year. I also want to see an astro pitch in Martin Savage Park. Going forward, I want to see projects such as a new train station at Porterstown to support the new area of Kellystown, beside Clonsilla, which was also in my 2019 leaflet.”
“We have to act to remove the systemic blockages delaying infrastructure delivery across housing, energy utilities and transport. We have to act to tackle delays due to slow and unpredictable legal and planning frameworks. We have to speed things up. We have to meet the needs of the nation from building homes to hospitals and rail lines to power lines. We have to secure Ireland's competitiveness by addressing Ireland's infrastructural deficits. These are national imperatives. For every Member of this House, they are also local imperatives. Last year, over 1,300 new homes were delivered in Dublin West, but too many residents are left waiting on infrastructure. I want BusConnects delivered. Journey times in Dublin West will only reduce if speed increases for the buses. That will only happen with the construction of a core bus corridor.”
“The Government did have the vision, the plan and the budget. However, what my leaflet and the Government of the day both failed to appreciate were the barriers and blockages that would then emerge. BusConnects has been stuck in a legal challenge since 2024. DART+ West got planning in 2024 but two judicial reviews delayed progress. They have since been reviewed and work is to begin in late 2026-2027. Seven years on from my first political leaflet, therefore, our major transport projects have not been delivered. I am frustrated, commuters are frustrated and communities are frustrated. I know the Minister, too, is frustrated. The only acceptable response to frustration is meaningful action. That infrastructural deficit is not due to money and it is not due to a lack of strategic planning but to slow and unreliable delivery systems.”
“I was elected for the first time in 2019 as a councillor in Dublin West in the election after the Minister. In preparation for tonight, I looked back over some of my leaflets on transport and infrastructure from that year. One referenced €1.5 billion that was ring-fenced for BusConnects that would cut journey times by 40%. Another referenced a €2 billion investment in rail to electrify and upgrade the Maynooth line to a DART service in line with the national priority to double frequency and triple capacity by 2027. Both highlighted Project Ireland 2040 and the national development plan of 2018 and how the funding had been secured and they were major infrastructural wins at the time. I talked about having the vision, the plan and the budget to finally deliver an integrated transport system for Dublin West, and it was right.”
“It will facilitate our villages in Dublin 15 like Blanchardstown and Castleknock with a town centre first health check, but it brings us back to the same issue. If we do not have the specific funding streams like the town and village renewal scheme, then we are not being given the same opportunities to activate those solutions to bring people into the village, promote village life and give them that identity and the place-making they truly deserve.”
“Those villages are entitled to apply under the town and village renewal scheme but our villages in Dublin 15 currently are not. I will touch on what our communities are doing. The Castleknock business forum was set up at the beginning of last year. The members have done a survey that points to traffic issues. They are diagnosing the problems but do not have the funding to come up with the solutions and to activate those. In Corduff, we have just launched a standard 2 report about place-making, and 146 residents and organisations took part. Again, the problems are being identified but we need the funding stream to activate the solutions. Fingal County Council is totally on board with what I am bringing to the Minister's attention. It realises there is a problem.”
“I thank the Minister and the Minister of State genuinely for engaging with me on this because I feel they understand the challenge we have. Our Dublin 15 villages are falling between two stools. I am talking about villages like Castleknock, where the Minister was yesterday for which I thank him, along with Clonsilla, Blanchardstown, Mulhuddart and Corduff. These are distinct communities. They are not just traffic through ways and they are not just part of urban sprawl. They want to support their businesses, they want to protect their heritage and they want to promote their village centres. What we are really lacking is that place-making ability for these villages that do have their individual sense of identity. When we support businesses and bring footfall into villages it contributes to that sense of community.”
“The Minister and the Minister of State will both be familiar with this question because I have met them previously. When it comes to funding streams and Dublin West, our Dublin 15 villages are too big for the likes of town and village renewal scheme or are too small for the urban regeneration and development fund, URDF. I would like an update on our discussions on that please.”
“She now has to repeat the test and that will take an additional six months because the lists have now been put together and there is no longer a shorter waiting time for repeat tests. I am looking for an updated plan that targets measures such as longer opening hours and more testers at the centres that need increased capacity.”
“I want to raise the issue of driving test waiting times. Nationally, the average waiting time is back up to 12 weeks. Last year, the Minister of State, Deputy Canney, who is present, instructed the RSA to bring the average times down to ten weeks. We need to bring them down and we need to keep them down. The policy should be to stabilise and sustain them at ten weeks. The centre with the second highest waiting time in the country is that at Mulhuddart. This waiting time has consistently been one of the highest and now stands at 20 weeks. That is double the national average. Our waiting times have stayed consistently high since the autumn. A woman who contacted my office this morning said that it took her eight months to get her first driving test.”
“I take this opportunity to ask the Minister of State where that review stands, what the timeline for it is and whether the Government will commit to expanding the right to request flexible work to all employees. We have the directive on pay transparency and also the gender pay gap legislation. We have to make sure that the information about the gender pay gap is made available to people on the portal as soon as possible, so people are able to see which companies are delivering and which are not, and where we need to focus our attention.”
“This is one of the lowest rates in Europe and the only system that still provides a flat rate payment. This must change. We should also move towards pay-related maternity, paternity and parental leave as outlined in the programme for Government. Our family leave system must work harder for hardworking parents. Another important step is expanding access to flexible work. At present employees who are parents or carers can request flexible working arrangements under the work life balance Act. The legislation also requires a review by March 2026, to include whether the right to request flexible work should be extended to all employees.”
“International evidence shows the difference father's leave can make. Research in Sweden found each additional month a father spends on parental leave increases the mothers earnings by about 6.7%. When fathers take leave mothers return to work earlier and the gender pay gap narrows. We are also seeing it is not just fathers who cannot afford to take leave as mothers also choose not to take parents' leave. This correlates with the number of women who do not get an uplift in their maternity leave, so women are stuck in a catch-22 situation. If they want to return to work, they may not be able to secure childcare or if they want to stay at home longer, they cannot afford to, so parental leave must be financially viable for both mothers and fathers. At present, Ireland’s maternity benefit replaces less than a third of average earnings.”
“Our country already faces workforce challenges in areas such as social work and therapies, education and disability services and bringing more men into those professions would benefit not only gender equality but the sustainability of those essential public services. One of the most powerful ways to unlock gender equality is by degendering care roles both in the workplace and the home. One of the clearest ways to do that is normalising the taking of parental leave by fathers and normalising flexible work. Although progress has been made, the figures show there is still a long way to go. According to the reply to a parliamentary question I recently asked, a quarter of men are still not taking paternity leave and about a third are not taking parents' leave. A big reason for that is the financial hit.”
“Research from the Growing up in Ireland study has identified a sizeable gender pay gap already among 25-year-old men and women and that is largely driven by the sectors they enter. Women are far more likely to work in education- and health-related fields while men are more likely to work in higher paying sectors such as industry, information and communications technology, finance and real estate. Of course we should support young women to enter higher paying sectors but that cannot be the whole solution. If we are serious about gender equality we must also encourage young men to enter care-related professions.”
“Families are facing enormous pressures due to the cost of childcare, the availability of it, the cost of staying at home and the cost of returning to work. Parents find themselves performing constant solution-gymnastics, especially in the first year of a child’s life as they try to make childcare, employment and family finances work. We have to make the system evolve with the times to keep up with gender equality and make it work for families. The motherhood penalty remains very real. Women experience an average earnings drop of around 27% after their first child is born and that statistic alone should make us pause but it is even more concerning that gender inequality is beginning earlier than motherhood.”
“I am thankful for the opportunity to speak about International Women's Day. I congratulate Jessie Buckley for becoming the first Irishwoman to win an Academy Award for Best Actress. Her success is a powerful reminder Ireland continues to perform strongly on the global stage but while we celebrate achievements like that, we must also look inward and ask whether the systems and structures here at home are truly setting women and girls up to succeed. I am concerned there is a narrative taking hold that the progress we have made on gender equality is enough because I do not believe it is. Progress is not something we achieve once and keep forever; the gains we make must keep evolving or they stop being gains at all. For many women it is not getting easier but harder.”
“I acknowledge the work of our postmen and postwomen, who are the front-line staff in An Post. This is about whether resourcing and infrastructure has kept pace with population growth. Dublin West is expanding at speed. Thousands of homes have been built with more coming. When housing growth is this rapid, public services must scale with it, including postal delivery. An Post has a universal service obligation. Urban communities are entitled to reliability and consistency just as much as rural communities are entitled to access. I am asking the Minister of State to engage directly with An Post to ensure delivery capacity in Dublin West is urgently reviewed and expanded where necessary. My constituents are not asking for special treatment; they are asking for a postal service that keeps pace with the community it serves.”
“The reality is simple: more doors means more packages, which means more pressure and my constituents are feeling it. I am hearing from families who are waiting weeks for deliveries that were repeatedly marked out for delivery but never arrived; from first-time buyers who are anxiously watching the tracking on mortgage-related documents because they are worried that delays could affect completion; from parents whose Christmas presents turned up long after the holidays, and from residents who are waiting on important medical items and simply cannot understand why parcels sit in sorting facilities for extended periods. In newer estates and apartment complexes, neighbours are comparing experiences and realising that this is not a one-off. It is widespread.”
“While much of today's focus is rightly on rural closures, I want to speak about a different challenge, namely, delivery pressures in rapidly growing urban areas like Dublin West. In my community the problem is not the loss of a post office today; it is whether the system can keep up with demand. Parcel volumes across Dublin West have increased by 42% in the last year. At the same time, the number of delivery addresses has grown by 4%. Letter volumes may be down by 7% but that does not relieve pressure when serving more homes and handling far more parcels. We are adding homes at a serious pace. In 2025 alone, 1,328 new dwellings were completed in Dublin West. That is 1,328 additional front doors requiring daily service on top of the thousands delivered in recent years.”
“If we build on this momentum over the lifetime of the Government, we can match the pride and dedication of our supporters, including those who travel nationwide for their clubs and follow the national teams abroad, with sustained investment, planning and proper structures. By doing so, we can ensure Irish football reflects the ambition, passion and commitment that supporters already bring to the game.”
“I am also biased about Dublin West football clubs. We have the best in the country. I welcome the €3 million allocated in budget 2026 for League of Ireland academies. This important investment gives clubs the resources to build modern and professional academy systems and create clear pathways for the next generation of Irish players, both boys and girls. It represents a significant opportunity. More young players can now remain in the domestic system, developing and gaining experience at home. As the League of Ireland grows in profile, the conditions are in place to nurture talent in a way that we have not seen for decades.”
“They are operating more sustainably, developing talent, securing transfer fees and reinvesting in infrastructure and youth development. If we want a stronger national team, we must strengthen the domestic system that produces it. The League of Ireland is no longer peripheral; it is absolutely central to Ireland's football future. I am in the green tonight.”
“I agree with the Minister of State. In a few weeks, thousands of Irish supporters will cheer on the boys in green as they face the Czechs in Prague on 26 March, aiming to move closer to World Cup qualification for the first time since 2002. Moments like this remind us of our responsibility to strengthen the domestic game in order to support future national success. As the Minister of State said, Brexit has reshaped the pathway for young Irish players. More promising footballers are staying in Ireland for longer and are gaining senior experience in the League of Ireland instead of moving abroad at the age of 16. This presents a significant opportunity for us. Clubs are responding by raising coaching standards, investing in academies, upgrading facilities and developing players in competitive first-team environments.”
“The League of Ireland is experiencing sustained growth, with Premier Division attendances up 8% in 2025 and over 1.1 million attending matches involving League of Ireland clubs across the country. At a time when domestic football is clearly on the up, will the Minister of State outline what measures he and his Department are taking to support the rise of the League of Ireland?”
“About 55% of men are taking paternity leave and it drops to 25% when it comes to parental leave. Families are missing out. Ireland can do more here. if you look at countries such as Finland, they have extended leave coupled with lower rates so there is a trade-off. In Ireland, we get above average in terms of time but we are not getting the financial supports. It is really impacting parents with babies who are in their first year in the context of the choices they can make.”
“I am really looking forward to engaging in the public consultation. The figures are important. According to the OECD, payments are lowest in Ireland and the UK, where less than one third of gross average earnings are replaced by maternity benefit. Countries such as Lithuania, Austria, France and Germany have benefits based on past incomes. We have a high percentage of maternity leave employer top-ups. In 2021, the most recent year in respect of which I could obtain figures, about 70% of women received a top-up. However, that leaves one third of women relying on maternity benefit. I do not think it is a coincidence that one third of women are not availing of their nine weeks of parental leave. We also have a major issue when it comes to fathers.”
“That is really encouraging, particularly as we in Ireland are above average when it comes to the length of time we can spend at home with our new babies on foot of maternity and parent's benefit. As stated, we are below average when it comes to the financial supports to do so. As the Minister indicated, pay-related jobseeker's benefit is working very well and is a model that could be applied in this instance. I cannot emphasise enough how important the first year of a baby's life is for both the baby and the parents. As a mother, it changes you - your body, your brain formation and your identity. There is a term for it, "matrescence", and it does not get the attention it deserves. We are still behind the curve when it comes to family leave.”
“I am seeking an update on the commitment to introduce pay-related parent's benefit and potentially others. I am doing so because Government policies are not joined-up enough when it comes to new parents whose babies are in their first year of life. These parents can find themselves in a catch 22 situation where they either want to stay at home but cannot afford to do so or want to go back to work and cannot source childcare for babies under 12 months of age. The large majority of OECD countries are using earnings-related payments. We seem to be an outlier. We can do more to support parents of children who are in their first year from the point of view of both child development and family well-being.”