Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 12 December 2023
714. Deputy Ivana Bacik asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth when it is intended to introduce legislation to ensure that pregnant women with cancer are not required to use their maternity leave entitlement to cover periods during which they are in treatment. [55314/23]
View answerThe 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. I recently announced my intention to bring forward proposals to allow for deferral of maternity leave where a mother falls ill during this period, in response to the issues raised by the Irish Cancer Society.
Legislative proposals will be finalised in the coming weeks and will be brought to Government for approval early in 2024.
