A chara, - The Directive on Parental Leave, which is due to become law in June of this year, marks our first tentative steps towards a civilised, family-friendly workplace. Many of your papers' contributors have stressed the need for shared, inclusive parenting and a balance between family and paid work responsibilities. Not surprisingly, we are the last EU country to adopt this declaration.
The directive permits either parent to take leave of three months for each child under eight in the case of illness or other family pressures. When it was first noted it was generally accepted that some or all of the leave would be paid. Suddenly, with no public debate, your paper reported that this leave would be unpaid.
This Government made commendable recommendations on tax relief for child-care and hard-pressed parents breathed a sigh of relief. With the Budget, of course, this sigh was short-lived. Just when we'd let out a second hopeful sigh we were winded to find that this leave (to look after a sick child, etc.) would be completely unpaid! How will single parents be able to take such leave? Will it ensure that both parents (father and mother) are encouraged to take leave?
This Government has been given a second chance to prove that it is committed to putting structures in place to facilitate the well-being of our nation's children and underpin equality in the workplace. Is it to fail again? Can we really sit by and let it? Is this how much we value the well-being and care of our children? - Is mise, Bernie McCloskey,
Mount Pleasant Square, Ranelagh, Dublin 6.