Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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238. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if plans are in place to allow women diagnosed with cancer during pregnancy or postpartum to defer their maternity leave while they are going through treatment (details supplied). [24486/24]

Roderic O'Gorman (Dublin West, Green Party)
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The Maternity Protection Act 1994 and the Maternity Protection (Amendment) Act 2004 provide a pregnant employee with six months of paid maternity leave and an additional 16 weeks of unpaid leave. All forms of family leave are kept under review to ensure that they are effective in supporting families and children.

In October I announced plans to introduce legislation to allow women undergoing treatment for cancer or other serious illnesses postpone their maternity leave.

It is planned to bring this forward together with a number of amendments arising out of my Department’s review of Ireland’s equality legislation. My officials are finalising these proposals and I intend to bring them to Cabinet for approval in the coming weeks.