Ireland is lagging behind Europe on Family Leave and compares poorly to other European countries on issues such as maternity leave, paternity leave and work life balance policies, according to an international expert who will speak on Family Leave in Dublin for the first time, on September 25.
Professor Peter Moss from the University of London will address a seminar organised by the Irish Congress of Trade Unions (ICTU), National Women's Council of Ireland (NWCI) and Start Strong – a coalition of organisations and individuals seeking to advance children's early care and education in Ireland.
The event is being organised ahead of the Family Leave Bill, which is due to be published this autumn.
David Joyce, Equality Officer with the ICTU says, "Working families have been under serious pressure as a result of the economic crisis, made all the worse by the lack of workplace arrangements to help reconcile work and family life. Research shows that workers (both women and men) who experience such a conflict have a significantly lower quality of life; have a higher risk of sleeping and health problems; are more likely to be absent; are less motivated and productive at work.
"It is in the common interest of workers and the companies that employ them to ensure a good climate for reconciling caring and work responsibilities. The Family Leave Bill provides an opportunity to improve statutory entitlements in this area and to begin to bring ourselves in line with European norms."
Ms Ciairín de Buis, Director of Start Strong says ""While the duration of Maternity Benefit has improved in the last 15 years, when we look at Ireland's leave policies as a whole, they offer little support to families with young children and compare poorly to other European countries".
Ireland currently offers 26 weeks maternity leave paid at a low flat rate, with an additional 16 weeks of unpaid leave also available. It doesn't give any Paternity leave. Family leave - the right to take time off when children are young, with full job protection – is unpaid and gives only the minimum amount allowed under EU law.
'there is currently no legal entitlement to paternity leave in Ireland." says Ms de Buis. "Many European countries offer 2 weeks paid paternity leave around the time of birth, allowing partners much needed time to bond with the new baby and give support to the mother".
Orla O"Connor, Director of the National Women's Council of Ireland says, "Ireland is the only EU member state that provides no period of well-paid leave. Our current policies are based on the notion that women are still primarily responsible for the care of young children."
'the reconciliation of work and family life is central to promoting greater equality in society. The forthcoming Family Leave Bill should ensure greater sharing of care responsibilities between women and men.
As it stands, women do the majority of care work and subsequently, the majority of those in part time, precarious work are women. This has a massive impact on women's economic independence, with 50% of women earning less than €20,000 a year."
