Vol. 530 No. 1
90 Ms O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the plans he has for a public information campaign to provide greater public awareness of the right to force majeure paid parental leave; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3195/01]
The Parental Leave Act, 1998, entitles an employee to force majeure leave with pay from his or her employment for urgent family reasons, owing to the injury or illness of a family member. Under the Act, an employee is entitled to up to three days force majeure leave in any period of 12 consecutive months or five days in any period of 36 consecutive months. Entitlement to force majeure leave is limited to circumstances where the immediate presence of the employee, at the place where the ill or injured person is situated, is indispensable.
There are no plans at present to carry out a public information campaign to provide greater public awareness of the right to paid force majeure leave provided for under the Parental Leave Act, 1998. The Equality Authority, which was established in October 1999, has as one of its functions a role to disseminate information to the public relating to entitlements under the Parental Leave Act, 1998. An explanatory booklet is available from the Equality Authority in relation to the Act. In addition, my Department issued an explanatory booklet in December 1998 in relation to entitlements under the Act. This booklet is available from the equality division of my Department and can be accessed on my Department's website – www.irlgov.ie/justice. The explanatory booklets give detailed information on the operation of the paid force majeure leave provisions.
A review of the operation of the Act will be carried out by my Department this year in consultation with the social partners. In the event that recommendations are agreed in the context of the review and accepted by Government, the question of publicity needs arising from the review can be considered at that stage.
