Seanad debates

Tuesday, 2 December 2003

Maternity Protection (Amendment) Bill 2003: Committee Stage.

 

2:30 pm

Photo of Willie O'DeaWillie O'Dea (Limerick East, Fianna Fail)

This amendment is necessary to reflect more closely the intention of the maternity working group and to ensure consistency with the Parental Leave Act 1998. Currently, section 5 of the Maternity Protection (Amendment) Bill 2003 provides that determination of additional maternity leave, in the event of sickness of the mother, must be at the discretion of the employer. However, the intention of the maternity working group was to mirror section 7 of the Parental Leave Act 1998, which provides that parental leave may be taken in a broken manner, with the agreement of the employer, rather than in a single block of 14 weeks. In other words, it is a change of emphasis. The basic rule is that the leave may be taken in parts, rather than as a block. However, we have to write in the provision that it must be cleared with the employer.

Comments

No comments

Log in or join to post a public comment.