Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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260. To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the extent to which he and his Department have received requests for equality-related changes in legislation since the formation of the Government; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40993/20]

Roderic O'Gorman (Dublin West, Green Party)
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I plan to undertake some legislative reform in relation to equality legislation.

The Programme for Government contains a commitment to examine the introduction of a new ground of discrimination based socio economic disadvanage status to the employment equality and equality status act.

In addition, the LGBTI+ National Inclusion Strategy contains a commitment to review the equality legislation to ensure that transgender, non conforming and intersex people have explicit protection within the equality grounds.

The Government intends to extend Parents’ Leave from two weeks to five weeks for each parent of all children born or adopted on or after 1 November 2019.The Government also intends to extend the period in which Parents’ Leave can be taken up until that child turns two years or, in the case of an adoption, two years after the adoption placement date of the child. This extension will apply to parents who may have already availed of their existing entitlements.

Heads of a Bill to effect these changes on Parent's Leave are currently being drafted in my Department and I intend to bring these to Government next Tuesday.