Minister defends decision not to distinguish between abortion and miscarriage under new law

Vivienne Clarke

The Minister for Enterprise, Peter Burke, has defended the decision not to distinguish between a pregnancy termination and a miscarriage under a new law that will approve five days of paid leave for early pregnancy loss.

“It's important that we don't enter into that space, that safe space between a woman and her doctor, and that we make this very clear we're supporting pregnancy loss, and we want to be compassionate and respond to it,” he told Newstalk Breakfast with Anton Savage.

“I make no apologies for that because those are very difficult decisions, and women need support in those difficult decisions.

"I come from a viewpoint of where you trust women with these decisions, and that's exactly where my genesis comes from. And I want to support women on these very difficult and traumatic journeys, irrespective of their background.

"I think as a compassionate society, that's exactly where we need to be, and that's exactly where we need to be in the workplace also.”

The five-day leave was for “medically certified pregnancy loss”, he said.

“I don't want in any way a woman who has had a fatal fetal abnormality or who is going through very difficult life decisions to be asked what was the reason for her pregnancy loss. I don't think that's appropriate. I think it's important that we support women.

As a compassionate society, Ireland was making positive steps forward, he said. “If we normalise it through statutory bereavement leave, we are saying the state acknowledges this is a very traumatic experience.

“Women need support and families need support around this particular time as they go through a very challenging journey. And that really sets a leadership role by the state, and that penetrates down to society.

"I think by taking leadership roles in these key issues, I think we will improve society for the better. And this gives an opportunity for the government to say, we are compassionate and employers are compassionate in regard to this as well.”

Burke also acknowledged the work of the Oireachtas Caucus for Women in bringing the plan to fruition.