I propose to take Questions Nos. 480 and 481 together.
As the Deputy's question covers a number of areas, I have provided a response covering the work of a number of Departments, and have also asked the HSE to reply directly in respect of relevant work underway within the health service, including on data.
The Department of Children, Disability and Equality is committed to ensuring that workplaces consider the reality of employees’ lives and recognise the enormous impact that women go through that experience pregnancy loss. The need for more awareness within the workplace of the impact of pregnancy loss is acknowledged by Government as necessary to promote changes in the culture, policies and practices in workplaces in order to lead to improvements in physical and mental health and wellbeing and work-life balance.
DCDE Department officials are examining the findings of a qualitative research study to examine the workplace experiences of parents coping with pregnancy loss with an aim to informing potential supports. The study, ‘PLACES - Pregnancy Loss (under 24 weeks) in Workplaces: Informing Policymakers on Support Mechanisms’, examines whether policy interventions are required at a national level to support these bereaved parents in the workplace. The study focuses on people who experience pregnancy loss prior to 24 weeks’ gestation, as people who have a pregnancy loss after 24 weeks’ gestation can avail of full maternity leave and paternity leave entitlements.
The new National Strategy for Women and Girls will also inform this work. Officials in the Department are continuing to engage with officials in the Department of Enterprise, Tourism and Employment with regard to the issues raised in the Organisation of Working Time (Reproductive Health) Bill 2021.
