Tony Kett (Fianna Fail)

I do not see the need for this provision because most employers by their very nature would be very flexible in such a situation. If I was an employer, I would rather see someone take leave for two weeks rather than eight, particularly if I had to employ another person and continue to pay both while the employee was on leave. Much of this places an onus on the employer to give a reason he or she should not allow the person to go. However, there is no onus on the employee to back up the reason they want the leave. It could very well be that an employee would use this provision to go off on a boozy weekend, although I am not suggesting he or she would do so.