Patrick Costello (Dublin South Central, Green Party)
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549. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth when the Work Life Balance and Miscellaneous Provisions Bill 2023 will be signed into law; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21607/23]

Roderic O'Gorman (Dublin West, Green Party)
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The Work Life Balance and Miscellaneous Provisions Act 2023 was signed into law by the President on 4th April. It is hoped that the Act will support employees to achieve a better balance between their home lives and work lives.

The Act introduces 5 days leave for medical care purposes for parents of children under 12, and carers; it provides for a right to request flexible working for parents and carers; it provides the right to request remote working for all employees, and it expands the entitlement of breastfeeding breaks to two years after the birth of the child. The leave for medical care purposes and the right to request flexible working are in fulfillment of Articles 6 and 9 of the EU Work Life Balance Directive.

In addition, the Act also seeks to support those who are victims of domestic violence through the introduction of a statutory paid leave entitlement of five days. Ireland is one of the first countries to introduce statutory domestic violence leave.

The provisions of the Act will be commenced as early as possible. Certain provisions will require additional work before they can be commenced, such as the provisions for a right to request flexible working for carers and parents, and remote working, which require the preparation of a Code of Practice in line with Part 4 of the Bill. I will announce publicly when provisions have commenced.

Under the provisions of the Act, all employees can make a request for remote work, but the right to request flexible working only extends to parents and carers, as defined under the Directive. The Government has committed, however, to reviewing these provisions after two years to consider extending the right to request flexible working to all employees.