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Saturday 1 April 2023 Dublin: 9°C

# Maternity Leave

This week
26th March 2023 - 1st April 2023
# 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.
Last week
19th March 2023 - 1st April 2023
# 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.
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.
# 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.
# 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.
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.
# 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.
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.
# 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.
# 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.
# 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.
# 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.
# new baby
Justice Minister plans to take maternity leave after having her baby
There are no legal provisions for TDs to take parental leave.
# 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.
# 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.
# 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.
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.
# 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.
# 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.
# 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.
# 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.
# 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.
# 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.
# 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.
# 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.
# 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.
# 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.
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.
# Goat
Serena Williams' post-pregnancy return to tennis is bringing sexism in the game to the fore
Is anyone surprised?
# 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.
# 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.’
# 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.
# 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.
# 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.
# 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.
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.
# 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.
# 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.
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.
# compensation
Woman who was sacked when six months pregnant to receive €30,000
The woman was told “business is business, enjoy your maternity” when she was sacked.