Workers will not have to provide evidence of abuse to employers to claim domestic violence leave, according to Minister Roderic O'Gorman.

Under the legislation, announced this morning, people experiencing domestic violence will now receive their full pay if they need to take the leave.

The legislation was developed with Women’s Aid to set out the rate of pay and guidance for employers.

Speaking to Newstalk Breakfast, Minister O'Gorman said victims will receive "100%" of their salary for "five days paid leave".

"The reason we're setting the rate as that is we recognise that victims of domestic violence – if they're forced out of work to address the consequences of the domestic violence – are at a greater risk of poverty," he said.

"It's appropriate that they are paid their full rate of pay while they're taking that leave."

Five days

Minister O'Gorman said Ireland is one of the first countries to introduce paid domestic violence leave.

"This is a very new approach," he said.

As five days will not allow victims a significant amount of time to "address the consequences of the domestic violence", Minister O'Gorman said Government will reexamine the law in two years.

"This leave is going to be examined in terms of its take up [and] in terms of its effectiveness," he said.

"Most new laws are reviewed after maybe four or five years – we set a tighter time limit for this one.

"Recognising it's very new, but also recognising that this is kind of an area that's developing in other countries now."

Employers

Minister O'Gorman said Government have made it "as easy as possible" for victims to claim the leave.

"An employee doesn't have to submit any evidence to their employer," he said.

"They just merely need to say, 'I need to take this domestic violence leave'.

"Working with Women's Aid, we're putting in place a range of policy advice for employers in terms of how they deal with a situation where an employee seeks domestic violence leave.

"[Also] more generally, where that employer becomes aware that one of their employees is a victim of domestic violence."

The leave can be claimed from mid-Autumn, Mr O'Gorman said.

"We're just finishing off the regulations now and we're finishing off those employer policies," he said.