SO WOMEN AND BABIES DON’T MATTER? 28,000 women signed the petition organised by Support Maternity Leave Extension 2020. It would be a simple matter to just agree to the extension for the duration of the Covid crisis, and relatively, the cost is not huge. Yet the government, shamefully, are proposing an alternative that makes no sense. I spoke about this yesterday in the Dáil.
Bríd took the opportunity to raise ‘legacy’ issues with the Taoiseach: 1. Will he make sure there’s not more public money wasted on ‘spin machines’ to make politicians look good? 2. What about justice for Shane O Farrell? 3. Why all the foot-dragging about extending maternity leave during the Covid crisis? New mothers are very anxious.
Brid expresses her confidence in the commitment of FF and FG to serving the interests of the rich, and of the Greens to acting as a mudguard for them in the new Dáil
Women with new infants are sick with worry about returning to work in the context of Covid, without assurances, without childcare, without supports. Extending Maternity leave and benefit would be the solution. But no, the government plays games about whose responsibility this is – Department of Finance? Social Protection? Justice? They each say its the other one’s job. It’s a disgrace. They bailed out banks – no problem, fund the horseracing industry – no problem. But mothers and babies – who cares? Sound familiar?
Let’s make sure they listen. 25,000 signed a petition supporting these new mother’s need to EXTEND MATERNITY LEAVE DURING COVID CRISIS. I was proud to work with theses new mothers in raising the issue and myself and People Before Profit will go to the wire on this, to make sure FG/FF respect their wishes.
Brid is on with a Fine Gael rep and the debate centres on issues surrounding Covid, re-opening after lockdown, new government coalition possibilities, the issue of extending maternity leave and the Covid payment.
Bríd demands answers in relation to the rights of workers in Debenhams, on the extension of Covid payment to maternity leave and to workers in Direct Provision.
The government want to use the Covid payment to divide workers and deflect attention from who is really benefitting from the emergency – gougers like Denis OBrien & Larry Goodman. Meantime, new mothers are terrified as their maternity leave comes to an end and they face a return to work with reduced supports and the absence of childcare, in these most dangerous times. Maternity leave and benefits MUST be extended. And the Ministers ‘pass the parcel’ again, to each other, to avoid meeting the very urgent and distressing needs of these women.
The government want to use the Covid payment to divide workers and deflect attention from who is really benefitting from the emergency – gougers like Denis OBrien & Larry Goodman. Meantime, new mothers are terrified as their maternity leave comes to an end and they face a return to work with reduced supports and the absence of childcare, in these most dangerous times. Maternity leave and benefits MUST be extended. And the Ministers ‘pass the parcel’ again, to each other, to avoid meeting the very urgent and distressing needs of these women.