11.—(1) The Minister may from time to time by order amend section 3 of this Act so as to—

(a) extend the application of this Act to employees who are of a class or description specified in the order,

(b) exclude from such application employees who are of a class or description so specified.

(2) The Minister may from time to time by order amend section 6 of this Act so as to effect either or both of the following—

(a) substitute for the number of weeks specified in all or any of the following subsections, namely, subsection (2) (a) (i), (2) (a) (ii) or (2) (a) (iv) a different number of weeks,

(b) substitute for the number of months specified in the definition of “the relevant period” contained in subsection (9) thereof a different number of months.

(3) The Minister may from time to time by order amend section 4 (2), as amended by section 17 of the Redundancy Payments Act, 1979, and by section 12 of this Act, of the Act of 1967, so as to vary the number of hours specified therein.

(4) The Minister may from time to time by order amend—

(a) paragraph (a) of section 3 (1), as amended by section 13 of this Act, of the Act of 1973,

(b) paragraph 8, as amended by the said section 13, of the First Schedule to the Act of 1973,

so as to vary the number of hours specified in that paragraph.

(5) The Minister may by regulation amend section 6 of this Act so as to vary the limit specified in subsection (4) (a).

(6) The reference in section 2 (4) of the Act of 1977 to the First Schedule to the Act of 1973 shall be construed as being a reference—

(a) in case an order under this section amending that Schedule is for the time being in force, that Schedule as amended by section 20 of the Act of 1977, by section 13 of this Act and by the order,

(b) in case no such order is so in force, that Schedule as amended both by the said section 20 and the said section 13.

(7) Where an order under this section is proposed to be made, the Minister shall cause a draft of the order to be laid before each House of the Oireachtas and the order shall not be made until a resolution approving of the draft has been passed by each such House.