We will find the right way to let minister take her maternity leave, says Taoiseach
THE Government is “committed” to finding a way to allow Justice Minister Helen McEntee to take maternity leave without having to resign, Taoiseach Micheál Martin said yesterday.
Ms McEntee has announced she will take six months leave when her baby, due in May, is born. However, there is currently no provision for a politician to take maternity leave.
“We are committed to facilitating Helen McEntee to take maternity leave and not to resign,” said Mr Martin. “I do believe we can accommodate Helen. We’re going to facilitate that through a range of mechanisms.”
He said the minister taking maternity leave would be a “catalyst for wider change”.
The Taoiseach hopes a Citizens’ Assembly on Gender Equality, which is due to make its recommendations in the coming months, may make recommendations around politicians taking maternity leave.
He was speaking to broadcaster and journalist Dearbhail McDonald, as part of a Women for Election International Women’s Day event on women in politics. The independent charity provides training and support for women considering election.
When asked to comment on reports concerning social media hate towards female politicians, Mr Martin said it worried him.
“I worry deeply about it. Social media is having a very destructive impact on politics and on decision making,” he said. “Impact on individuals is very oppressive, particularly online, and to throw in the abuse that is going on is very, very detrimental to our body politic.”
He said the abuse was a “deterrent” to those looking to stay in politics which can be “very damaging” in terms of false stories which can affect psychological well-being.
He also said that the riots in the US, which saw the violent storming of Capitol Hill and five people die, could happen in Ireland. “Of course it could, it could easily happen anywhere at this stage,” he said.
“If you read a misleading narrative on an ongoing basis, people will get a different, wrong perception of an individual in the public life and then could go to harm them.”
Mr Martin said half of all members in Dáil Éireann and the Seanad could be women by 2030.
“We need more women in politics,” he said. “Women bring in different perspective and different politics.”