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Child Item

Extended Maternity Leave

Hasmunch

https://www.rte.ie/news/ireland/2020/0611/1146850-varadkar-will-consider-extension-to-maternity-leave/

Petition to extend maternity leave was submitted to the Dail yesterday.

My wife gave birth at the end of February and we have basically been in lockdown since and baby has only seen grandparents once priority to lockdown.

What are the chances they might actually extend it?

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jlm29

Hasmunch wrote: »

https://www.rte.ie/news/ireland/2020/0611/1146850-varadkar-will-consider-extension-to-maternity-leave/

Petition to extend maternity leave was submitted to the Dail yesterday.

My wife gave birth at the end of February and we have basically been in lockdown since and baby has only seen grandparents once priority to lockdown.

What are the chances they might actually extend it?

Who knows. It’s mental though- the article said about extending it for people who’s mat leave was due to expire between March and sept. People who’s mat leave was due to expire in March were off since sept and had basically their whole maternity leave as normal?
They could be back at work. Would they head off again? I expect a lot of people couldn’t afford to take it if their wages aren’t topped up. I’d imagine it’s too big a can of worms to be opening. And tbh, I think the people on mat leave are lucky to be on mat leave and not worrying about childcare throughout this.

foreverandever

I went back to work the first week of March and have been working throughout. I actually don’t get the reason to extend mat leave because of people being on lockdown?? You’ve still had that time with the baby.

However I would support longer maternity leave in general, for everyone

bee06

I think a lot of people are having problems finding child care and have had to take holidays or unpaid leave as a result.

PhoenixParker

bee06 wrote: »

I think a lot of people are having problems finding child care and have had to take holidays or unpaid leave as a result.

I'm due back in early September and whats really giving me pause is handing baby over at the door of the creche.

I'm OK with my 3.5 year old going back to a creche and carers he's familiar with. He can tell me if somethings up but a 10 month old settling in for the first time is a very different proposition.

Not sure what I'll end up doing. Possibly a nanny but I'd like the 3 year old to see his friends and socialise.

lashes34

bee06 wrote: »

I think a lot of people are having problems finding child care and have had to take holidays or unpaid leave as a result.

Everyone with kids have that issue though? Myself and my husband are both working fulltime, lockdown didnt affect our work apart from obviously not having childcare. Its painful, someone coming off maternity leave shouldn't get extra leave, thats crazy.

bee06

lashes34 wrote: »

Everyone with kids have that issue though? Myself and my husband are both working fulltime, lockdown didnt affect our work apart from obviously not having childcare. Its painful, someone coming off maternity leave shouldn't get extra leave, thats crazy.

I’m just saying what I’ve been hearing from Facebook groups. Women who had crèche places reserved that have now been cancelled because crèches have to reduce numbers and are prioritising the existing children attending.

lashes34

Ya I get it. Our childminder has decided not to start again so Im on the hunt and its impossible. Its just not limited to oarents of new babies.

Millem

Can’t see it happening for people who have already finished their maternity leave.

Leo said “he will consider it over the next couple of days, but added that he had concerns that legislation may be required and you can’t bring in retrospective legislation.“

Unless he brings it in for people who have just started or will be starting soon? Probably won’t happen at all.

cant26

Honestly I think there are bigger issues for the government to be focusing on right now.
Of course as a whole our maternity system should be looked at but some of the reasons that I was reading why maternity leave should be extended are just ridiculous!
Not being able to go for coffee dates or baby groups...seriously! Of course not being able to these things, especially as a first time mum is rubbish and I definitely think the whole lockdown has affected some new mums mental health, as it did many for many other people. But people need to move on from it.
Lockdown is lifting, life as we know it won’t return any time soon but it is improving..I hope!
The childcare argument is for every working parent.
Parents who had secure dependable childcare pre Covid now find themselves back to square one just as new mums do. Covid or no Covid dealing with childcare as a new mum is extremely difficult and emotional. I just don’t think it warrants extra mat leave at the moment.
The country is on its knees economically and the government can’t figure out what to do with our school going children. I think in the grand scheme of things distracting our already incapable politicians with this is just tone deaf.
That’s my opinion anyways. Oh and I say this as a mother of two who will be availing of another maternity leave in a few months!!!

Millem

cant26 wrote: »

Honestly I think there are bigger issues for the government to be focusing on right now.
Of course as a whole our maternity system should be looked at but some of the reasons that I was reading why maternity leave should be extended are just ridiculous!
Not being able to go for coffee dates or baby groups...seriously! Of course not being able to these things, especially as a first time mum is rubbish and I definitely think the whole lockdown has affected some new mums mental health, as it did many for many other people. But people need to move on from it.
Lockdown is lifting, life as we know it won’t return any time soon but it is improving..I hope!
The childcare argument is for every working parent.
Parents who had secure dependable childcare pre Covid now find themselves back to square one just as new mums do. Covid or no Covid dealing with childcare as a new mum is extremely difficult and emotional. I just don’t think it warrants extra mat leave at the moment.
The country is on its knees economically and the government can’t figure out what to do with our school going children. I think in the grand scheme of things distracting our already incapable politicians with this is just tone deaf.
That’s my opinion anyways. Oh and I say this as a mother of two who will be availing of another maternity leave in a few months!!!

Absolutely agree with you!
We need to try and get back the country up and running and back to normal ASAP.

jlm29

I’ve actually enjoyed the lockdown part of my Mat leave more than the not locked down part. It’s been SO nice not to have to be on the road, dropping and collecting the older kids. I feel the baby has gotten into more of a routine. And I’ve loved not being expected to go anywhere or see anyone!
Everyone has had to make sacrifices over the last few months. And our tax bills are more than likely going to reflect any of these measures that cost money, so I would hope mat leave is left as is

shane b

jlm29 wrote: »

Who knows. It’s mental though- the article said about extending it for people who’s mat leave was due to expire between March and sept. People who’s mat leave was due to expire in March were off since sept and had basically their whole maternity leave as normal?

I believe the problem is that there is a loophole where women on unpaid maternity leave and due back during lockdown are not getting paid or get social welfare.
If the company the woman was working for was closed they are not seen as a full time employee and not entitled to the covid payment as they weren't actually employed at the time the business closed and not entitled to their normal wages either.

Millem

shane b wrote: »

I believe the problem is that there is a loophole where women on unpaid maternity leave and due back during lockdown are not getting paid or get social welfare.
If the company the woman was working for was closed they are not seen as a full time employee and not entitled to the covid payment as they weren't actually employed at the time the business closed and not entitled to their normal wages either.

I thought they sorted now?

shane b

Millem wrote: »

I thought they sorted now?

I don't know to be honest

iamwhoiam

PhoenixParker wrote: »

I'm due back in early September and whats really giving me pause is handing baby over at the door of the creche.

I'm OK with my 3.5 year old going back to a creche and carers he's familiar with. He can tell me if somethings up but a 10 month old settling in for the first time is a very different proposition.

Not sure what I'll end up doing. Possibly a nanny but I'd like the 3 year old to see his friends and socialise.

But in all fairness that same worry would have arisen with no Covid .?

PhoenixParker

iamwhoiam wrote: »

But in all fairness that same worry would have arisen with no Covid .?

No.

Before covid baby would have been dropped to the room. I could have spent time with her in the room for the first few days before leaving. Even 10 minutes makes a big difference. I could have stood around talking to the carers for half an hour discussing the day if necessary. I could call in for an early pick up or done a late drop off and see what was going on.

There was way more visibility into the creche and how things were done and happening there.

It's a very different proposition.

shesty

shane b wrote: »

I don't know to be honest

They did sort it I believe.

I admit I thought the argument was ridiculous too myself.The only valid concern would probably be difficulty finding childcare.Given the absolute...callousness (can't think of another word)....that whole sector of childcare and education has been treated with during all of this, I imagine many people will have problems with childcare.Sure those of us who aren't on mat leave are having issues, never mind people going back to work after a baby.

kastasia

Yeah, I just started on maternity leave and this petition came up a few times but I just couldn't sign it. I'm not against longer maternity leave, but I don't think it should be a kneejerk temporary reaction. I know it must have been hard for mothers, especially first time mothers the last few months, but it was hard for me being heavily pregnant and trying to work and look after toddler at the same time and it's been hard for so many others too.

iamwhoiam

PhoenixParker wrote: »

No.

Before covid baby would have been dropped to the room. I could have spent time with her in the room for the first few days before leaving. Even 10 minutes makes a big difference. I could have stood around talking to the carers for half an hour discussing the day if necessary. I could call in for an early pick up or done a late drop off and see what was going on.

There was way more visibility into the creche and how things were done and happening there.

It's a very different proposition.

Ah ok , fair enough . I hope you find a good solution and your baby settles in well

lazygal

I don't understand this petition. Everyone is in the same boat with babies and kids and child care, and paid and unpaid ml is already about 11 months. So what has been missed out on?

Sofa King Great

There is no basis for doing this at all. It is a simple populist move with no thoughts on how it would be paid for - I saw figures quoted of higher than €130m.

There is definitely room for reform of the mat leave system but this is not it.

heldel00

I fully understand the childcare issue end of things. However, some women are arguing that they were stuck in the house amd didn't get to go anywhere!
I'm sorry but that is just nonsense. Maternity leave is about bring there with your child, nurturing them, helping them develop etc.
It should not be aboit how many coffee mornings and trips to Blanch you missed out on.

Sorry if I'm being a bit harsh but that is the general impression i was getting when listening to this being discussed.

lazygal

heldel00 wrote: »

I fully understand the childcare issue end of things. However, some women are arguing that they were stuck in the house amd didn't get to go anywhere!
I'm sorry but that is just nonsense. Maternity leave is about bring there with your child, nurturing them, helping them develop etc.
It should not be aboit how many coffee mornings and trips to Blanch you missed out on.

Sorry if I'm being a bit harsh but that is the general impression i was getting when listening to this being discussed.

Yes there's definitely bang of a bit of middle class mummy privilege from some of the women quoted. It's nice to do the baby groups and coffee mornings but really, is this a reason for extra maternity leave?

shesty

It isn't really.And actually if you have more than one child and particularly if they are small, you don't get to do any of that stuff anyway.It's not really a valid argument.

bee06

I had my baby in March (already have a toddler) and to be honest it was great not to have loads of people landing in on top of us to visit! I hated that the first time around. We all got time to adjust to being a family of four by ourselves.

Now, I’d be lying if I’d said it wasn’t hard being stuck in the house with a demented 2 year old especially in the last month because these were no child friendly places in 5km. Can’t wait to do some small trips to places now we can go further.

Apparently breastfeeding rates have gone up as well because of women being “stuck” at home with no concerns about flashing the father in law.

lazygal

Pre term birth rates dropped too apparently.

Nickibaby*

More discussions taking place its looking increasingly lightly to be extended!

iamwhoiam

heldel00 wrote: »

I fully understand the childcare issue end of things. However, some women are arguing that they were stuck in the house amd didn't get to go anywhere!
I'm sorry but that is just nonsense. Maternity leave is about bring there with your child, nurturing them, helping them develop etc.
It should not be aboit how many coffee mornings and trips to Blanch you missed out on.

Sorry if I'm being a bit harsh but that is the general impression i was getting when listening to this being discussed.

Well then I will be equally harsh . There are people whose transplants were cancelled , people whose weddings were cancelled, people in care homes who had no visitors and no activities for months
People who couldn’t attend funerals or see parents , vulnerable who never left the house , jobs lost and livelihoods destroyed
Why on earth would mothers who gave birth during lockdown be any more entitled to anything than the rest of us who also suffered or lost livelihoods .
We all got on with things as best we could

lunamoon

The only argument I'd seen that bares any weight is that the babies have missed out on the PHN development checks. Otherwise I don't really understand why it should be extended. Everyone is in the same boat re childcare.

Rodin

No reason to extend it.

Just people looking to get out of work while someone else pays for them.