Vol. 572 No. 3
462 Mr. Ring asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the plans he has to amend the Parental Leave Act 1998 to allow for the leave to be taken up to a child reaching the age of eight years, rather than five years, following a recent recommendation. [23109/03]
Work is ongoing in my Department on the heads of a Bill to implement the agreed recommendations of the report of the working group on the Parental Leave Act 1998. Subsequent to the publication of the report of the working group, the Government and the social partners agreed, in the context of the negotiation of Sustaining Progress, to raise the maximum age of the eligible child in the Act from five to eight years. The heads of the Bill will address this issue. I expect Government approval of the general scheme of Bill in the coming months with a view to publication of a draft Bill in 2004.
