News and media
PLACES Team presents findings on workplace experiences of pregnancy loss to members of the Oireachtas
On 28 November, Professor Keelin O’Donoghue, Ruadh Kelly-Harrington, Marita Hennessy PhD and Professor Mary Donnelly (School of Law) briefed members of the Oireachtas on the findings of the PLACES Project on behalf of the research team.
The PLACES Project - Pregnancy Loss in Workplaces: Informing policymakers on support mechanisms - was commissioned by the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth (DCEDIY) to examine workplace experiences of pregnancy loss before 24 weeks gestation and identify needed supports.
During the briefing, findings from a series of studies were presented:
- Literature review
- Scoping review of statutory leave for pregnancy loss in high-income countries
- Pregnancy loss policies in a sample of companies in the Republic of Ireland
- National survey of people’s experiences of pregnancy loss in workplaces in the Republic of Ireland (N=913)
- In-depth interviews with 13 participants.
The nine recommendations for policy and practice arising from the integrated findings from these studies were also discussed.
Many thanks to the DCEDIY, particularly Jane Ann Duffy (Principal Officer, Equality and Gender Equality), for organising this briefing.
Members of the Team also separately met with representatives from the Labour Party to discuss the PLACES findings – including Ivana Bacik TD, Senator Marie Sherlock and Seán Sherlock TD – who sponsored the Organisation of Working Time (Reproductive Health Related Leave) Bill 2021. The latter passed the Seanad Third Stage on 29 November and is now entering the Dáil First Stage.
The PLACES Research Team comprises Professor Keelin O’Donoghue, Ruadh Kelly-Harrington, Marita Hennesy PhD, Dr Sara Leitao, Dr Daniel Nuzum, Dr Caroline Dalton-O'Connor, Professor Mary Donnelly, Dr Claire Murray, Dr Maeve O'Sullivan.