The following section is inserted in the Principal Act after section 11:

"11A. Time off to attend certain pre-adoption classes and meetings.

(1) Subject to subsections (2) and (3), an employee shall be entitled to time off from work, without loss of pay, to attend any pre-adoption classes and meetings which the employee is obliged to attend.

(2) Subsection (1) 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,

(iv) engaged in training that is directly associated with any of the activities referred to in subparagraphs (i), (ii) and (iii) of this paragraph, or

(v) engaged in any other duty outside the State,

(b) if the Chief of Staff of the Defence Forces in exceptional circumstances so directs, to a member of the Defence Forces who is required to perform a duty which is, in the opinion of the Chief of Staff of the Defence Forces, of a special or urgent nature for so long as the member is performing the duty,