Legislation to increase parental leave entitlement to 18 weeks
Justice Minister Alan Shatter has said that new legislation is being prepared which will increase the amount of parental leave available to each parent per child from 14 weeks to 18 weeks.
The Family Leave Bill also allows for a parent on returning to work from a period of parental leave, to request a change in his or her work pattern.
The employer is required to consider this request, but is not obliged to grant the request.
The legislation will be introduced next March.
