8. Entitlement to time off from work to attend ante-natal classes.
The Principal Act is amended by the insertion of the following section after section 15:
"Entitlement to time off from work to attend ante-natal classes.
(1) Subject to subsection (3), a pregnant employee shall be entitled to time off from her work, without loss of pay, in accordance with regulations made under this section by the Minister, for the purpose of attending one set of ante-natal classes (other than the last 3 classes in such a set) and those classes may be attended by her during one or more pregnancies.
(2) Subject to subsection (3), an expectant father of a child (if he is employed under a contract of employment) shall be entitled once only to time off from his work, without loss of pay, in accordance with regulations made under this section by the Minister, for the purpose of attending the last 2 ante-natal classes in a set of such classes attended by the expectant mother of their child before the birth of the child.
(3) Subsection (1) or (2) shall not apply
(a) to a member of the Defence Forces who is
(i) on active service within the meaning of section 5 of the Defence Act 1954 or deemed to be on active service within the meaning of section 4(1) of the Defence (Amendment) (No. 2) Act 1960,
(ii) engaged in operational duties at sea,
(iii) engaged in operations in aid of the civil power,