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Justice minister expecting second baby in December

The Minister for Justice Helen McEntee (pictured) has announced that she is expecting her second child.

Minister McEntee became the first Irish Cabinet minister to become pregnant in office, in late 2020. Her son, Michael, was born last year.

She says that she intends to take maternity leave again when the baby is due in December.

No legal provisions

Arrangements had to be made to allow her to take maternity leave last year, as there were no legal provisions for her to do so.

The changes meant that the current Minister for Social Protection Heather Humphreys was given responsibility for the Department of Justice for six months. Minister McEntee remained a member of the Government, without portfolio.

Speaking at the time, Taoiseach Micheál Martin said that there needed to be “permanent reform” in this area, pledging that the Government would bring forward proposals to deal with these matters.