James Lawless (Kildare North, Fianna Fail)
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95. To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality if she will award extra days under the parental leave scheme to parents with children who have special needs given the many hospital and other appointments to which they need to accompany their children; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [15571/16]

Frances Fitzgerald (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael)
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The Parental Leave Act, 1988 entitles a relevant parent to take parental leave until the child concerned attains the age of 8 years. Section 2 (2)(c) of the Parental Leave (Amendment) Act 2006 increased the age limit to 16 years in the case of a child with a disability. The proposed Family Leave Bill, which Government has approved and is currently being drafted, will address all existing family leave legislation such as parental leave, carer's leave, maternity leave, and adoptive leave and consolidate this legislation into one Act.