Fears local new mothers are being "forgotten" as country reopens after Covid-19

New mothers are being “forgotten” about as the country reopens after Covid-19.

Protests were held outside the Dail yesterday as part of a campaign to have emergency legislation put in place to extend maternity leave.

They argue that it isn’t a request for time off, but to allow them to catch up on medical treatment for their children, attend healthcare appointments and secure childcare.

It’s estimated that the pre-natal, birth or post-natal care of 28,000 Irish mothers has been impacted because of the pandemic.

Ann-Marie Ward is one of the campaigners, and speaking to Northern Sound said they’d previously been told a “caretaker government” couldn’t pass the legislation.