McEntee to give up justice portfolio during six-month maternity leave

Helen McEntee

Social Protection Minister Heather Humphreys will be assigned responsibility for the Department of Justice from the beginning of May until the end of October.

Speaking in the Dáil yesterday, Mr Martin said: “The minister and I agree that she should of course be entitled to access the same full period of six months’ maternity leave as any other public servant.

“Like any other woman, she should be afforded every opportunity to continue in her role and to pursue her career in accordance with her own wishes.

“The government has agreed an approach that upholds the core principles of equality while also operating within the current legal framework, which is based on completely outdated assumptions and attitudes in this area.”

Hildegarde Naughton, a minister of state in the Department of Transport, will also take on responsibilities in the Department of Justice alongside James Browne, who will both take on extra functions “in order to ensure a more balanced workload for this period”.

Mr Martin added: “I believe this illustrates once more the absolute requirement for permanent reform in this area to ensure fully equality for all public representatives and the need to introduce maternity and paternity leave for councillors, senators, deputies and ministers.

“We want to make sure that having a family is in no way in conflict with pursuing a career in public life. That will require legislative change or possibly constitutional change.”