Miscarriage leave to be introduced in Ireland

Women who experience a miscarriage before 23 weeks gestation will be entitled to five days paid leave.

The bill was brought by Enterprise Minister Peter Burke ahead of the Dáil’s summer recess.

"Miscarriage can be devastating for families and for women, and in that regard hopefully this will go some way to support them in the workplace," Mr Burke said.

"This will also assist their families, which is very difficult and a time of genuine trauma.

"I was very struck in the Seanad when I was responding to a private members' bill in connection with pregnancy loss leave, the genuine testimony of so many women put on the record of the House.

"It's great now to see having cabinet making that determination this morning, and hopefully go forward now through the houses, where everyone will get to have their say."

It's likely the bill will pass, as the main opposition parties appear to be in favour.

Once the bill becomes law, it will be the first time the State has introduced a policy to provide miscarriage leave to women in the workplace who have suffered a pregnancy loss before 23 weeks.

The north of Ireland introduced a similar policy earlier this year.

There is no date yet for when the bill will enter into law as it must first pass through both Houses of the Oireachtas.