asked the Minister for Fisheries if he will state in detail in relation to each semi-State body associated with his Department, what arrangements, if any, exist for the provision of paid maternity leave for their employees; and, in the case of any which do not have such arrangements, the steps he proposes to take to see that such arrangements are made.
Written Answers. - Maternity Leave.
470.
There are no such arrangements for employees of the semi-State bodies associated with my Department. The introduction of paid maternity leave would be a matter for negotiation between the management and staff in the semi-State bodies concerned.
471.
asked the Minister for Tourism and Transport if he will state in detail in relation to each semi-State body associated with his Department, what arrangements, if any, exist for the provision of paid maternity leave for their employees; and, in the case of any which do not have such arrangements, the steps he proposes to take to see that such arrangements are made.
Apart from certain staff in CIE, none of the bodies under my aegis pay their staff while on maternity leave. In the case of CIE, those staff who are not fully insured for social welfare purposes, are granted maternity leave for a period of up to 12 weeks and are paid the equivalent of what they would receive by way of maternity benefit and pay related benefit under the Social Welfare Acts, if they were fully insured. In the remainder of the bodies the staff receive maternity benefits and pay related benefits in accordance with the provisions of the Social Welfare Acts. I do not consider that it would be appropriate for me to initiate any action in this matter.