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JUSTICE MINISTER HELEN McEntee will take six months of paid maternity leave beginning April 30.
Speaking at the Dáil this afternoon, the Taoiseach announced that the government would facilitate the minister’s maternity leave.
Minister McEntee will become Minister without Portfolio, and Minister Heather Humphreys will temporarily occupy the post of Minister of Justice, as well as her current role.
Hildegard Naughten, the junior super minister, will take on some justice duties as well as her existing minor responsibilities.
McEntee will become the first cabinet minister to give birth while in office. The baby will be born in May. The minister previously stated that she intended to take a six-month leave.
Because civil servants are not entitled to maternity leave, previous policies that have become mothers have called for sick leave when they take time off to have and care for their newborn baby.
The Taoiseach said: “We have agreed to an approach that upholds the basic principles of equality, while operating within the current legal framework, which is based on completely outdated assumptions and attitudes in this area.
“Therefore, Minister McEntee will take paid maternity leave from her role as Minister of Justice for a period of 6 months beginning April 30.th. He will continue to be a Member of the Government, without portfolio, during that period.
“Finally, I think this illustrates once again the absolute demand for permanent reform in this area to ensure full equality for all public representatives and the need to introduce maternity and paternity leave for councilors, senators, DTs and ministers.
“We want to make sure that having a family does not conflict with pursuing a career in public life.
“That will require a legislative change, or possibly a constitutional change.”
In a statement, McEntee said: “Just as the girls of my generation turned to the strong women who came before us for inspiration and guidance, we in politics now have a responsibility to enable today’s girls to fulfill those dreams and ambitions. .
“My government colleagues and I are determined to change the current system for the next generation. I welcome the fact that the Citizen Assembly for Gender Equality is considering the issue of maternity, paternity and other types of leave for public representatives.
While I am very grateful to all my colleagues for their help and cooperation in accommodating me, it is clear that the lack of provisions for maternity, paternity and other types of leave for those in public life is a long-term problem. solution.
I look forward to working with colleagues from across the political world to bring about these much-needed changes.
Taoiseach Micheál Martin said earlier this week that the government was committed to making it easier for McEntee to take maternity leave “and not having to quit.”
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She said she believes facilitating the minister to take maternity leave “will be a catalyst for broader changes and reforms.”
Speaking at an event this week, McEntee said she is not the first woman in politics to have a baby and she will not be the last.
She said it was frustrating that although the women had gone before her, nothing within the system had changed.
McEntee said it’s not about telling women to take maternity leave, but rather about giving women options.
If “breaking down barriers” is important and if women should be encouraged to participate in politics, then it is about making it easier for women to have a family and continue their careers in politics, she said.
She said she hoped her situation would “bring about change” for all women politicians, whether they are ministers, TDs or local councilors.
With reporting by Sean Murray
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