# Maternity Leave

This year

2023

# Back at Cabinet

Helen McEntee returns as Justice Minister this week after six months maternity leave

McEntee gave birth to a boy in December and has been on maternity leave since November.

25.6k

May 30th 2023, 6:00 AM

# pairing agreement

Violet-Anne Wynne to resume Dáil pairing with McEntee after breaking it for eviction ban vote

Wynne last week broke the pairing to vote against the Government in the eviction ban motion.

16.9k

Mar 29th 2023, 10:19 AM

# Maternity Leave

What is a pairing agreement in politics?

This evening’s eviction ban vote has shone the spotlight on maternity leave provisions in politics.

9.6k

Mar 22nd 2023, 4:16 PM

Last year

2022

# Justice Minister

Helen McEntee begins maternity leave with Heather Humphreys taking over justice brief

Social Protection Minister Heather Humphreys will take over the justice brief until 17 December.

32.8k

Nov 25th 2022, 6:16 PM

# Maternity Leave

New scheme to allow councillor appoint temporary substitute while on maternity leave

Currently, female councillors are office-holders rather than employees and are not covered by the statutory framework for maternity leave.

7.3k

Nov 22nd 2022, 1:57 PM

# Milestone

Councillors can avail of paid maternity leave beginning next year

Councillors can also be given funding to hire someone to assist with secretarial work.

9.8k

Jun 28th 2022, 5:24 PM

Voices

Opinion: It's time we designed a better politics for women that benefits us all

Minister of State Peter Burke says he’s hoping to make real change for women in public life.

6.4k

Jun 28th 2022, 8:28 AM

# Irish Cancer Society

Calls for Govt to fix maternity leave issues for mothers diagnosed with cancer during pregnancy

Approximately 60 women are impacted by the legislation every year, according to the Society.

6.1k

Jun 23rd 2022, 3:35 PM

All time

# Back to Work

Helen McEntee returns as Justice Minister today after six months maternity leave

McEntee gave birth to a boy in April, becoming the first woman to have a baby while serving in Cabinet.

54.8k

Updated

Nov 1st 2021, 12:48 PM

# local government

Maternity leave for councillors to be examined by all-female group

Councillors, TDs and senators currently have no right to take maternity leave.

10.6k

Mar 29th 2021, 12:49 PM

# Maternity Leave

Justice Minister to take six months paid maternity leave from 30 April

Speaking in the Dáil this afternoon, the Taoiseach announced that the government would facilitate the minister’s maternity leave.

55.1k

Mar 11th 2021, 1:16 PM

# maternity issue

Taoiseach says government is committed to facilitating McEntee's maternity leave and not have her resign

A Green Party councillor said today the lack of maternity leave is a “serious obstacle” for female politicians.

43.9k

Updated

Mar 8th 2021, 3:42 PM

# Maternity Leave

Public won't be thankful if new minister appointed to replace McEntee during maternity leave, Nora Owen says

Justice Minister Helen McEntee will become the first Cabinet minister to give birth while in office.

42.0k

Mar 7th 2021, 1:22 PM

# new baby

Justice Minister plans to take maternity leave after having her baby

There are no legal provisions for TDs to take parental leave.

39.5k

Jan 15th 2021, 12:19 PM

# Maternity Leave

Referendum may be needed to allow maternity leave for politicians, Taoiseach says

Many legal experts, however, believe that more practical solutions can be found.

28.8k

Dec 28th 2020, 9:21 AM

# Houses of the OIreachtas

Does the constitution need to be changed to allow TDs to take maternity leave?

The Taoiseach has said that constitutional change could be needed to provide for TD maternity leave, but constitutional experts say otherwise.

14.0k

Dec 12th 2020, 7:00 AM

# new parents

'Maternity leave is a human right': TD calls for parental leave for TDs

Social Democrats TD Holly Cairns says it is ‘incredible’ that it does not already exist.

33.8k

Jul 29th 2020, 7:26 PM

Voices

Opinion: Maternity leave in lockdown was no picnic, so please don't forget new parents

New mother Patrice Hosford is asking the government to improve the leave entitlements currently available to new parents.

31.7k

Jul 17th 2020, 7:00 AM

# Maternity Leave

'Parents face stark choices': Three-week extension to parent's leave criticised as too little, too late

Sinn Féin is going to introduce a motion to the Dáil today calling for 12-week extension to paid maternity leave.

30.8k

Jul 14th 2020, 8:00 AM

# Paid leave

Parents of children born during pandemic to get additional three weeks leave

There have been calls for maternity leave to be extended for those who recently had children.

52.2k

Jul 13th 2020, 7:19 PM

# Maternity Leave

Micheál Martin to consider calls to extend maternity leave due to Covid-19 pandemic

Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald called for a 12-week extension to maternity leave and pay.

24.9k

Jul 7th 2020, 5:32 PM

# covid-19 pandemic

Leo Varadkar tells Dáil he will consider extending maternity leave by three months

A petition signed by 25,000 people called for maternity leave to be extended due to a lack of childcare for women returning to work.

57.4k

Updated

Jun 11th 2020, 1:41 PM

# Maternity Leave

Paschal Donohoe is 'examining' maternity leave exclusion from Covid-19 wage subsidy

The Finance Minister had said previously that it wasn’t possible to change the Covid-19 wage subsidy scheme to suit each individual.

17.9k

May 20th 2020, 10:33 AM

# Temporary Wage subsidy

Maternity leave exclusion from wage subsidy referred to the Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission

In order to be eligible for the scheme, employees need a pay slip from January or February this year.

20.9k

May 15th 2020, 9:16 AM

# new parents

Paid maternity and paternity leave to be extended by two weeks

New legislation will provide for extra paid leave for each parent of a child who is born, or adopted, from 1 November 2019.

81.2k

Oct 7th 2019, 8:33 AM

# Maternity Leave

Company ordered to pay €61,000 to woman who was 'discriminated against due to pregnancy'

The general manager was effectively demoted after returning from maternity leave.

60.1k

Aug 21st 2019, 6:20 AM

# bogus self-employment

Some female pilots have to 'choose between terminating pregnancy or quitting'

Ialpa today said that female pilots in bogus self-employment are not guaranteed a job when they return after having a baby.

32.6k

Jun 20th 2019, 3:08 PM

# Maternity Leave

New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern returns to work 6 weeks after giving birth

Ardern’s partner, TV fishing show host Clarke Gayford, plans to be a stay-at-home dad.

25.6k

Aug 2nd 2018, 10:10 AM

Voices

Column: 'We are required to provide a sick cert to cover the period of absence to give birth'

If we have any hope of enticing more women into public office here in Ireland, the existing policy on maternity supports and arrangements needs significant reform, writes Senator Lorraine Clifford-Lee.

46.8k

Jul 17th 2018, 7:00 AM

# Goat

Serena Williams' post-pregnancy return to tennis is bringing sexism in the game to the fore

Is anyone surprised?

10.7k

Jul 3rd 2018, 4:33 PM

# Maternity Leave

6 events for mums on maternity leave - from book clubs to baby-friendly movie screenings

Here’s our pick of Irish events you can happily cart your new baby along to, exploding nappies and all.

7.9k

Apr 24th 2018, 4:19 PM

# parents panel

Parents Panel: How did you find returning to work after maternity leave?

‘My office gave me all the facilities to pump and store breastmilk during the day, including a small fridge.’

2.0k

Apr 3rd 2018, 6:20 PM

# time off

Here's why this Maryland politician's decision to breastfeed in her campaign video is so important

TDs and councillors not getting maternity leave in Ireland is a huge problem.

2.0k

Mar 22nd 2018, 4:47 PM

# Maternity Leave

'A disgrace': The mothers of premature babies who say they've been left behind by the Minister

Maternity leave was extended for mothers of premature babies back in October – but not for parents of infants born before then.

15.2k

Dec 18th 2017, 12:05 AM

# premature baby

'My son had a 10% chance of survival and I only had 8 weeks paid leave when I got him home'

Calls for extended maternity leave and benefit for mothers of premature babies.

28.8k

Oct 2nd 2017, 6:05 AM

# Danielle Twomey

Cork councillor with young baby back at work after discovering she's not entitled to maternity leave

Legislation states that a representative must resign if they haven’t attended a meeting in six months.

46.8k

Sep 26th 2017, 12:48 PM

Voices

Cllr Jennifer Whitmore: 'I'm shocked a breastfeeding politician was considered news'

Maternity leave should be a universal right regardless of whether you are elected or unelected, writes Jennifer Whitmore.

19.5k

Jun 27th 2017, 6:30 AM

# all the facts

FactFind: How generous is maternity leave in Ireland?

Women in Ireland get some of the longest maternity leave periods in Europe – but also some of the lowest-paid.

74.6k

Apr 5th 2017, 12:05 AM

# Premature

Dáil to debate extending maternity leave for the 4,500 Irish mothers who start it in hospital every year

One mother said the current system is unfair but it isn’t something you think about until you find yourself in that situation.

19.4k

Apr 4th 2017, 6:10 AM

Voices

Opinion: 'We don't need female traffic lights. We do need decent maternity pay'

An economic downturn isn’t an acceptable excuse for unfair treatment of pregnant women, writes Lorraine Courtney.

330

Mar 28th 2017, 6:30 AM