IBEC, the employers body, has called for strict controls on the operation of parental leave legislation which comes into effect today.

The legislation grants employees paid leave of up to three days per year for urgent family reasons. However, IBEC said the legislation could be abused and may impose "considerable costs on employers".

IBEC said the legislation had to be introduced because of an EU directive, but claimed the directive did not stipulate that employees had to be paid.