Heads of a Bill to give effect to remaining aspects of the EU Work-Life Balance Directive will go to Government in the coming weeks. The Bill will include provisions to give effect to the right of workers to leave for medical care purposes and a right to request flexible working arrangements for workers who are parents of children up to at least 8 years old or who are carers under the terms of the Directive.
The Bill will also include provisions to extend the entitlement to breastfeeding breaks for mothers returning to work after maternity leave.
I also intend to bring to Government shortly a report on the work undertaken in my Department to investigate the introduction of a form of domestic violence leave. The report contains a number of recommendations in this regard which, once approved by the Government, will inform legislative proposals to introduce the leave.
It is intended that these proposals will form part of the aforementioned Bill but will be introduced at Committee Stage if approved by Government.