Cabinet Ministers will consider a draft bill this morning to improve work life balance.
The bill includes a legal right to request flexible working hours and remote working for parents and carers of children up to age 12.
It would give people five days of unpaid leave a year to take care of family members who need support with medical issues.
The bill would also extend the right to paid breastfeeding breaks from six months to two years.
Director of HR firm CIPD Ireland, Mary Connaughton, says giving people the right to time off to care for others is a good idea.
"It will help to clarify a confusing issues, because sometimes some employees have that benefit and other employees don't.
"In relation to the request for reduced hours or flexible hours, that is a positive development.
"I think our concern about what the cabinet is discussing is that both of these areas are on top of other employee entitlements - we're going to see that this is going to be confusing for both employees and employers."
