Deputy Mary Lou McDonald - speech from 21 May 2020

Mary Lou Macdonald, do you play golf by the way? No, not as of yet, Ciancorla, but who's to say? I might be resigned to playing golf if it is so desired by the public. Let's hope not. Can I firstly again extend our sympathy to all of those who have been bereaved by this virus, extend our solidarity and our wish for a full recovery to all those who are sick. And once again to extend our profound thanks to our workers at the front line and also to the Irish people for their forbearance. They've held the line and have been remarkably disciplined thus far. And of course we're making another ask that they continue in this safe, proportionate and thoughtful way as we advance now into our exit strategy. Taoiseach, the first step in ensuring that we have a fair long-term recovery from the COVID-19 crisis is to ensure that we have a safe and fair reopening of our society and our economy. So we need to get it right now so that we have the sound foundations upon which to progress. So fairness has to be built into every phase of the reopening. And that means doing everything possible to protect incomes and to ensure that people receive the supports they need when returning to work or indeed when reopening their business and enterprise. Where clear problems or anomalies arise, the government has to be proactive in producing common-sense solutions. And I put it to you Taoiseach that this urgency required from government to correct mistakes and to deliver common-sense solutions is glaringly absent in two very important areas. The first is in the provision of childcare as our reopening moves forward. forward. And the second thing is that women returning from maternity leave remain locked out of wage subsidy scheme. A childcare strategy that works, that is safe for children and for workers, one that meets the real needs of parents is absolutely essential for the success of our reopening and to ensure that we can advance safely. For the economy to function people have to be able to return to work and for many, many people returning to work means of necessity, quality childcare. It is simple, it is a no-brainer. The crux of the problem that we face is that the phased plan for the reopening of the economy is not aligned with the plan for the reopening of childcare facilities. That will not happen for all workers. It is planned until July 20th, that is more than nine weeks away. So many workers who return to work before then will be expected to do so without an answer to their childcare needs. In fact, as we speak today, essential workers are working without a solution and many simply cannot afford an individual bespoke childcare arrangement from their own resources. So it is unclear when people will be also able to mix with their extended families. This creates a huge headache for more than half of working parents who rely on their wider family for childcare, including grandparents. The reality still remains that the burden of childcare falls disproportionately on women and it would be very, very wrong if any woman or any parent for that matter were forced out of their job for the lack of childcare. Many households, as you know, Taoiseach depend on two incomes to make ends meet and it would be absolutely crippling for those families to lose one pay packet because the government hadn't got its act together in terms of childcare. Now, we all appreciate that the first emphasis has to be on health and safety. Take that as read. But the government had eight weeks to formulate a solution. While you were planning for the reopening of the economy in a gradual, incremental way, you should have been given the very necessary thought to childcare because they go hand in hand. You should have ensured that a workable childcare plan was hardwired into the wider reopening strategy and I think it's incredible that that didn't happen. I think this current problem is symptomatic more generally of a model of childcare and childcare is almost an afterthought in public policy and planning. It's an approach that has badly failed parents in the past and indeed children. So it needs to be corrected. Parents need a plan, parents need a solution and it's needed urgently. This lack of urgency, Taoiseach, is also reflected in the way your government has approached the issue of women returning from maternity leave, who, as things stand, cannot access the wage subsidy scheme. So this too needs a solution. I note that the Minister for Finance said yesterday that he's examining how to deal with the problem. Now, new legislation is not required Taoiseach. Pascal Donoghue already adapted the wage subsidy scheme without an immediate change to primary legislation. Revenue can deal with this matter on an administrative basis. I hope, I trust that you don't misjudge the level of stress and anger amongst the women affected by this exclusion. They hadn't left the workforce, they were caring for their newborn children and it's wrong and unfair that they're currently excluded because of a legislative deficiency. It's extremely disappointing that this issue hasn't yet been resolved. Mistakes happen Taoiseach, that's life. But when a mistake is identified, it's not acceptable that the government drags its heels and that the mistake isn't rectified very, very quickly. So I have two questions. Will you instruct the Minister for Finance today to instruct the Revenue Commissioners today to include women returning from maternity leave after the 29th of February in the wage subsidy scheme? And secondly, will you acknowledge that the childcare measures under the reopening roadmap are not fit for purpose and that we urgently need a plan for childcare provision that meets the real needs of parents to allow them to return to work? Thank you Deputy. First of all, at the outset I want to acknowledge that this is a very real problem and one that we want to solve. Women who went on maternity leave and are now due to come back to work and want to be able to avail of the wage subsidy scheme. And we want them to be able to avail of the wage subsidy scheme as well. So I don't need to direct the Minister to do anything about this. He's already working on it. Minister Donoghue, the Department of Finance and the Revenue Commissioners are working on a solution. But identifying a problem is much easier than coming up with a solution. And the problem is actually not quite as you described it. This issue affects women who went on maternity leave and were taken off the payroll. So there are different cohorts. Some were not taken off the payroll and they can actually avail of the wage subsidy scheme, which you didn't mention in your contribution. The ones who can't are those who were taken off the payroll by their employer and were not on the payroll on February 29th. Which means that there are other groups who also need to be considered as well. Potentially people who are on parental leave. People who are on paternity leave. People who are on a leave of absence. Who were on a career break. So when you identify a problem you have to come up with a solution. But you also have to consider all of the new problems you may also create and try and think of those solutions as well. So often the case is not as simple as the stroke of the pen that you often claim it is to resolve this. But the Minister of Finance is working on it. With the Revenue Commissioners and the Department of Finance. And if we come up with a solution we will inform the House of it. And we will implement it as soon as we possibly can. In relation to child care. I know you will have been aware that the Minister's opponent was in the chamber. I think only yesterday. Outlining her plans to reopen the child care sector. The plan is to do so on a phased basis from the end of June. And that requires a number of things. Consultation with the sector. Which is now very much underway. But also examining how it has been done in other jurisdictions. And that is underway as well. Thank you. I don't accept any excuse advanced for not dealing with the clear cut situation of women returning from maternity leave. Who are locked out of this wage subsidy scheme. And you are right to say it is those that weren't topped up by their employer. But that makes the situation all the worse. They were solely reliant on their maternity benefit. It is unfair Taoiseach. And if other scenarios have arisen deal with them too. But it is of no comfort to women who have been excluded from this scheme. Who are coming back from maternity leave. Who are employees who have a protected status under the equality legislation. To say well you have to wait because there are other problems also. All of these matters need to be dealt with. But this issue has now been raised for weeks with government. It is not a new issue. And these women need an answer. It is unfair to exclude them. And I would ask you to move very promptly. I would urge you today to instruct the Minister for Finance. Because the matter hasn't been resolved. And that is no comfort to the women concerned. As to Minister Zapone's considerations of the childcare sector. I am really really alarmed. I mean I hear and understand that we are considering the Norwegian model. And numbers of children in pods. And playing with a single toy between them. I have to say it will take perhaps a miracle. If certainly any children I had ever had any dealings with. To enforce that level of physical and social distancing. It strikes me that there is going to be a huge issue around capacity. Physical space. There is going to be a huge issue around personnel. Numbers of childcare workers available. And I have no sense. At this point. That you are in any way. In a real world way. Dealing with those. Those very very. Pressing matters. So. We don't need to hear at this point. That you are considering. Models that might apply. You need to be considering. The day to day realities. Of childcare provision. Here in this state. And how you are going to make it safe. And how you are going to grow capacity. How you are going to. Make up for the fact. That fewer children. Can be in restricted spaces. And the consequential need. For more personnel. I have no sense. That those matters. Are being considered. Or planned. In a concrete way. At this juncture. Thank you. Deputy. Eamonn-Rhyan. Thank you. Deputy Eamonn-Rhyan. You