26.—The Act of 1967 is amended in Schedule 3 by the substitution in paragraph 5(1) for clause (d) (inserted by the Parental Leave Act, 1998) of the following clause:

“(d) a period during which the employee is absent from work while on protective leave, natal care absence within the meaning of Part IV of the Maternity Protection Act, 1994, parental leave, force majeure leave or carer’s leave under the Carer’s Leave Act, 2001.”.