The Bill before the Committee today is the Maternity Protection Bill, 1994. It arises from Ireland's obligation to comply with the European Union Pregnant Worker's Directive 92/85/EC which was due for transposition into Irish law by 19 October 1994 and to meet commitments in the Programme for Competitiveness and Work, 1993-1997.
The purpose of the Bill is to provide for improved maternity protection for pregnant employees, employees who have recently given birth or who are breast-feeding. The Bill also creates a new right for such employees to health and safety leave in certain circumstances of exposure to risk in the workplace, a new right for fathers to the residual part of maternity leave on the death of the mother and the prohibition of dismissal from the beginning of pregnancy to the end of maternity leave for any pregnancy related reason.
Amendments to the Bill have been tabled by the Minister for Equality and Law Reform and by Deputy McManus.