The Principal Act is amended by the substitution of the following section for section 8:

"8.

(1) Subject to this Part, a pregnant employee shall be entitled to leave, to be known (and referred to in this Act) as 'maternity leave', from her employment for a period (in this Part referred to as 'the minimum period of maternity leave' of not less than

(a) 18 consecutive weeks, or

(b) 18 weeks part of which is postponed in accordance with section 14B,

as may be appropriate.

(2) The Minister may by order, made with the consent of the Minister for Social and Family Affairs and the consent of the Minister for Finance, amend subsection (1) and section 13(2) so as to extend the period mentioned in each of those subsections.".