Seán Ardagh (Dublin South Central, Fianna Fail)
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Question 265: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform if there are proposals to extend the age for parents of disabled children to be able to take parental leave after the child is 17 and above, to facilitate persons (details supplied) in Dublin 12. [20065/06]

Michael McDowell (Dublin South East, Progressive Democrats)
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The situation of parents of children with disabilities was considered in the context of the review of the Parental Leave Act 1998 conducted by a Working Group chaired by my Department. The Working Group, which comprised the social partners, relevant Government Departments and the Equality Authority, recommended raising the age of eligibility in respect of a child with a disability to 16 years in its Report published in 2002. Section 2 (2)(c) of the Parental Leave (Amendment) Act 2006, which was enacted on 18 May 2006, implements a commitment made in Sustaining Progress to increase the age limit to 16 years in the case of a child with a disability in accordance with the recommendation of the Working Group.