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TDs with new babies would be allowed take part in Dáil votes either remotely or by proxy under proposals to be debated on Thursday evening.
Fine Gael TD Jennifer Carroll MacNeill has put forward a Bill that seeks a change in the Constitution that would also allow for remote voting for people who fall ill or in the event of a future pandemic.
She said the Government is backing the proposals and that Sinn Féin and the Labour Party are also supportive.
Ultimately if the Bill is passed by both Houses of the Oireachtas, a referendum would have to be held within three months to seek the approval of the people for a change in the Constitution which does not currently allow remote voting.
Speaking ahead of the second stage debate on the Bill Ms Carroll McNeill said the proposals are among “key steps” needed t encourage young women into politics.
She said childcare is not just a female issue pointing to male TDs whose partners have had babies.
Ms Carroll MacNeill said remote or proxy voting was a recommendation of a report by the Forum on a Family Friendly and Inclusive Parliament and it said paternity leave should be included.
Traditionally new parents have relying on pairing arrangements which saw a TD on the opposing side of the House agree not to participate in Dáil votes.
Such an arrangement was put in place for Minister for Justice Helen McEntee last year when she became a mother.
Ms Carroll MacNeill said the goodwill of other parliamentarians in such scenarios is “great” but it is not a sufficient response.
She said: “It isn’t a secure arrangement and it’s not one that you can depend on in perpetuity” and added: “It’s not a sophisticated enough response for a modern parliament in my view.”
Circumstances
She also the Bill would allow “flexibility” in the event of any future emergencies like the Covid-19 pandemic and said: “Proxy voting would also allow a member of parliament who falls ill and is immunocompromised to continue to fulfil their parliamentary duties.”
One example she offered was if a politician was undergoing cancer treatment.
The Dun Laoghaire TD pointed out that remote voting takes place in other jurisdictions saying: “The European Parliament has been voting remotely and the technology is there to be able to do that.”
Under her proposals the Oireachtas would make the rules on the circumstances in which remote or proxy voting can take place.
“What my Bill does is it simply removes the constitutional barrier and lets them get on with that work,” Ms Carroll MacNeill added.
On Tuesday the Cabinet agreed that the Government will not oppose the Thirty-ninth Amendment of the Constitution (Remote Parliamentary Voting) Bill 2020.