Companies are under no obligation to give employees the leave they want when they want. The company is entitled to dictate when leave is taken provide that it is given in accordance with the statutary requirements........which are a lot worse than what is currently available.
That is precisely why ANSPs at various locations (Ireland included) are struggling to find/attract/retain staff. Forward thinking, modern HR has the company bending over backwards to retain valuable staff. The drive to model ANS provision along "business lines" seems to cherry-pick elements that suit- such as financial modelling- whilst totally neglecting one of the most important: HR. Hence it's parlous state.
Dismissing items important to employees, such as access to leave, is indicitive of a dinosaur management culture. A self-destructive, poisonous culture doomed to failure, and the failure of those who espouse it (often, sadly, they don't know any different). But I'm sure you knew that, DFC. Right?