Half a decade on Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil still blocking miscarriage leave – Sherlock

• Sherlock calls on Oireachtas Enterprise Committee to examine Labour Party legislation 
• Organisation of Working Time (Reproductive Health Related Leave) Bill first tabled in 2021
• Bill provides 20 days miscarriage leave and 10 days fertility treatment leave
• Over 3,500 sign Labour petition in support of legislation 

Labour’s health spokesperson Marie Sherlock TD said it is shameful that Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil continue to block legislation to support women after miscarriage or for any worker undergoing fertility treatments.

Almost five years after Labour first tabled this legislation, Deputy Sherlock has written to the Oireachtas Enterprise Committee calling on the Committee to expedite its consideration of this legislation.

The Labour Party published a Bill in March 2021, the Organisation of Working Time (Reproductive Health Related Leave) Bill, that would provide women with up to 20 days paid time off to recover from the loss of an early pregnancy, as well as up to 10 days paid leave for all employees accessing fertility treatments like IVF.

Despite Labour’s push for action during Private Members’ Time in the Seanad in November 2023, and in the Dáil in January 2024, Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil opted instead to kick the can on introducing this practical and urgently needed support.

Deputy Sherlock said:

“Half a decade is a long time for Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil to spend deliberating on whether or not women should have access to miscarriage leave.

“The failure of Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil to progress legislation to provide for leave for women during a time of great loss is a stark reminder of the uphill battle women face in advocating for compassionate workplace policies.

“For too long, we’ve kept conversations around reproductive healthcare too private. As more and more women and couples come forward with their experience of struggling to conceive, introducing workplace protections for people seeking fertility treatment is needed would represent a step in the right direction in terms of equality in the workplace. Labour’s Bill provides for access to 10 days leave for treatments like IVF to make sure that workers no longer have to use annual leave for treatment.

“I have written to the Oireachtas Committee on Enterprise calling on members to scrutinise Labour’s Bill, which has received ample debate across the Oireachtas over the past five years. All that’s missing now is action.

“The previous Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil coalition government commissioned the PLACES: Pregnancy Loss (under 24 weeks) in Workplaces Report on Informing Policymakers on Support Mechanisms report which was published in January 2024. This report recommended the introduction of policies to provide time off work following pregnancy loss before 24 weeks, among other measures. The calls of this expert report are in line with the aim of Labour’s legislation. So why the delay?

“Pregnancy loss and miscarriage are utterly devastating experiences and women need time to recover from this tragic loss. The Miscarriage Association of Ireland estimates that one in five pregnancies in Ireland end in miscarriage, and it is unacceptable that so many women could be left behind by Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil in this way. Over 3,500 people have signed a Labour Party petition in support of this campaign, so why the delay?

“In 2021, New Zealand made history by enacting miscarriage leave. Just last year, mothers in Britain were granted two weeks of bereavement leave in the event of miscarriage or stillbirth before 24 weeks’ gestation. It’s beyond time that we introduce the same here.

“Since the introduction of the Labour Party Bill, I have been inundated with women sharing their experience of loss. The majority of these cases are unexpected. It is a profoundly sad and devastating experience. We need to provide leave when it matters most.”

ENDS

Editor’s Note: 

The PLACES report was authored by Ruadh Kelly-Harrington, Marita Hennessy PhD, Dr Sara Leitao, Prof Mary Donnelly, Dr Claire Murray, Dr. Maeve O’Sullivan, Dr Caroline Dalton-O’Connor, Dr Daniel Nuzum and Prof Keelin O’Donoghue.

Full report can be read here: PLACES | Pregnancy Loss (under 24 weeks) in Workplaces: Informing policymakers on support mechanisms – e44607ae-7344-412c-b244-b66b93a278d6.pdf (www.gov.ie).

More information on the Labour Party’s Bill can be read here: https://labour.ie/its-time-to-introduce-miscarriage-leave/

Letter to the Chair of the Joint Committee on Enterprise, Tourism and Employment re: Organisation of Working Time (Reproductive Health Related Leave) Bill 2021 from Marie Sherlock TD, Ivana Bacik TD, George Lawlor TD.

To the Chair of the Joint Committee on Enterprise, Tourism, and Employment,

We write in respect of the Organisation of Working Time (Reproductive Health Related Leave) Bill 2021 which passed second stage in the last Dáil in January 2024. We are requesting that the Enterprise, Tourism, and Employment Committee urgently undertake pre-committee stage scrutiny of this bill.

We are half a decade on from the introduction of this crucial bill which would provide 20 days miscarriage leave and 10 days fertility treatment leave. And yet, there has been little to no movement since early 2024 to progress this bill. This legislation needs to be progressed to ensure compassionate care for those who experience traumatic pregnancy loss and the stress and demands of fertility treatment.

The Miscarriage Association of Ireland estimates that one in five pregnancies in Ireland end in miscarriage. This is an issue impacting thousands of women every year in Ireland.

We ask that the Committee considers pre-committee stage scrutiny of this Bill at the Committee’s earliest convenience.

We look forward to hearing from you.

Deputies Marie Sherlock, Ivana Bacik and George Lawlor.