Dáil Éireann debate -
Thursday, 1 Mar 2001

Vol. 531 No. 5

Written Answers. - Family Friendly Work Practices.

Derek McDowell

Question:

17 Mr. McDowell asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the steps being taken to provide more family friendly work prac tices for those working in the public service; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4664/01]

Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform (Mr. O'Donoghue)

My Department has responsibility for a number of statutory provisions in relation to the reconciliation of work and family life, which are available to employees generally.

Last year I set up a working group to review and improve maternity protection legislation in accordance with commitments in the Government's An Action Programme for the Millennium and the Programme for Prosperity and Fairness. The working group agreed its recommendations in November 2000. The Government has approved implementation of all the recommendations in the report and has also decided to amend the Adoptive Leave Act, 1995 to reflect the proposed changes to the Maternity Protection Act, 1994, where appropriate. Yesterday, I announced the publication of the report of the working group on the review and improvement of maternity protection legislation.

The increases in the periods of maternity and adoptive leave were announced in Budget 2001. As Deputies are no doubt aware, I, together with my colleagues the Ministers for Finance and Social, Community and Family Affairs, made Orders on 8 February 2001, implementing the increases in maternity and adoptive leave. The increases will apply to persons who commence maternity or adoptive leave on or after 8 March next.

The Parental Leave Act, 1998 provides for an individual and non-transferable right to 14 weeks unpaid leave from work for both parents in respect of children under the age of five years. There are certain exceptions to this age limit in the case of adoptions. Under the Programme for Prosperity and Fairness, a review of the Parental Leave Act, 1998 will be conducted this year, in consultation with the social partners. The review will commence later this month. I look forward to presenting the report to this House later this year.

My colleague, the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment has published two Bills, which also assist considerably in providing family friendly work places for employees in general.

The first Bill entitled Carer's Leave Bill, 2000 complements the Government's budget 2000 proposal to introduce a carer's benefit scheme which is being administered by the Department of Social, Community and Family Affairs since 26 October 2000.

The Bill delivers on the undertaking given by the Government in the Programme for Prosperity and Fairness to introduce such legislation. ICTU and IBEC are supportive of the legislation. The Bill is a unique and innovative social policy that seeks to support people during a difficult period. The proposals will allow employees to leave their employment temporarily to provide full-time care and attention for those needing it, for a period of up to 65 weeks. The Bill commenced Second Stage in this House on 7 February last.

The second Bill is the Protection of Employees (Part-Time Work) Bill, 2000. This Bill transposes the provisions of the EU Council Directive concerning the Framework Agreement on Part-time Work concluded by the social partners at European level. The purpose of the directive is to prevent part-time workers from being treated less favourably than full-time workers. It aims to provide for the removal of discrimination against part-time workers and to improve the quality of part-time work. The directive is also intended to facilitate the development of part-time work on a voluntary basis and to contribute to the flexible organisation of working time in a manner which takes into account the needs of both employees and employers. The Bill was published on 15 December 2000 and passed Second Stage in this House on 14 February 2001.

Family friendly working schemes which have been available for some time in the Civil Service include flexible working hours, job-sharing, career break, special leave and term-time. Work sharing is intended to expand the scope of the existing job-sharing scheme by providing a wider range of attendance patterns with apro rata reduction in pay. Discussions with the staff unions on the introduction of the work sharing scheme are currently at an advanced stage and it is anticipated that the scheme will be introduced Civil Service wide by mid-2001. The terms of a pilot teleworking scheme have been agreed with the staff unions and a small scale pilot is in operation in the Houses of the Oireachtas. The pilot will be reviewed shortly. Many of these schemes are also available throughout the wider public service.

In Budget 2001 a Civil Service child care initiative was announced which will see the allocation of £10 million to allow for the provision of 15 Civil Service crèches over the next two years.

The availability of child care is a vital part of the development of family friendly practices. I am sure the Deputy is aware that child care has been identified as a priority in the National Development Plan 2000-2006 and £250 million comprising EU and Exchequer funds has been provided to my Department to develop child care provision. Further funding of £40 million was made available to a number of Departments by the Government in October 2000 by way of further supports for the child care sector.

Under the equal opportunities child care programme, which I launched in April 2000, supports are available which are designed to achieve the main objectives of the programme which are to increase the number of child care places and facilities available and to improve the quality of child care throughout the country. Capital grants are available to community based and private providers, staffing grants are available to eligible community groups and other funding is available to national voluntary child care organisations towards child care training and for local child care networks.

A national framework committee for the development of family friendly policies at the level of the enterprise has been set up under the Programme for Prosperity and Fairness. It includes representatives of IBEC, public sector employers, ICTU, relevant Departments and the Equality Authority. The national framework committee is focusing on supporting and facilitating family friendly policies through the development of a package of practical measures that can be applied at the level of the enterprise. My Department is providing funding of £4 million under the equality for women measure of the National Development Plan 2000-2006 to develop family friendly projects in employment and the sharing of family friendly responsibilities. Of this funding, £1.5 million has been allocated to support the work of the national framework committee.

The national framework committee has proposed today, 1 March, as family friendly workplace day. There will be a launch by the Tánaiste of a website to promote and inform discussion on family friendly policies and of a brochure outlining family friendly work arrangements.

My Department, together with the European Commission, is co-funding research on the reconciliation of work and family roles, with a particular emphasis on how to involve men in family and domestic activities. The research project is led by the Centre for Gender and Women's Studies, TCD, and involves a four country comparative study covering Ireland, France, Denmark and Italy. The research will include a focus on attitudes of men and women as workers and parents and social policies designed to address these issues. The national framework committee is also planning a series of regional seminars.

I would also draw the Deputy's attention to a written parliamentary question which was answered by all Ministers on 20 February, outlining the plans of all Ministers in marking family friendly workplace day for staff in their respective Departments.