Cork City Council to examine early pregnancy loss policy

The movers of a motion to explore the option of an early pregnancy loss policy for Cork City Council employees have welcomed its backing by the local authority.

Fine Gael’s Shane O’Callaghan and Labour’s Peter Horgan proposed that the council adopt the recommendations of the Pregnancy Loss Research Group at University College Cork (UCC) as a measure to implement for the council’s workforce.

The motion also called on the council to write to the leaders of all political parties in Dáil Éireann encouraging them to adopt a cross-party approach to implementing leave in this area.

The council’s HR directorate said that they will examine the recommendations of the UCC research group to establish if they can be adopted within Cork City Council and to bring a report to the senior management team by next June.

Mr O’Callaghan told The Echo that this was “a very positive development”.

“It will hopefully result in Cork City Council leading the way in terms of implementing the recommendations, which would in turn serve as an example to be followed by the rest of the public service as well as workplaces in the private sector.

“I would also like to pay tribute to Professor Keelin O’Donoghue, Marita Hennessy, Dr Tommy Harty, Dr Caoimhe Ní hÉalaithe and everyone else involved in the research group for all of their work on the report and recommendations and for putting together an impressive and comprehensive Pregnancy Loss and the Workplace Toolkit.

“The toolkit provides guidance for affected employees on how best to navigate work after experiencing pregnancy loss as well as information for employers and co-workers on how to support work colleagues who experience pregnancy loss.”

Mr Horgan added: “When you look across the political spectrum there is broad agreement to do something to ensure supports are there for those who experience early pregnancy loss.

“The one thing that jumped out of the report for me was how to speak with someone who experiences such loss, that being kind and caring is better than being perfect,” Mr Horgan said.

“I hope reports such as this will encourage all of us to have that kind, caring word in our hearts for those who go through such loss.”

Both councillors urged the leaders of all political parties to progress the matter urgently to deliver supports to families across the State.