Minister of State for Local Government Peter Burke said he hopes the measures will encourage more young women to become involved in politics

Cancer survivor Erica Tierney from Kildare is backing the Irish Cancer Society's Leave Our Leave campaign, having spent all but one week of her maternity leave receiving treatment.

The first minister to have a baby while serving at Cabinet talks about expectations, gender norms, and her prospects in Fine Gael

Linda Kelly, a Cork advocate said: “There is certainly confusion out there."

At present, leave for six months has to be approved by a resolution of the local council and results in the person being deemed to have resigned from the council

Helen McEntee's husband said that he would be beginning six months of parental leave from today

Because her pregnancy did not make it to 24 weeks, the woman was not entitled to any leave after the birth

To mark World Breastfeeding Week, women's and mothers' organisations are calling for Government to 'safeguard and promote the health of the next generation'

Current policy advises that partners should be facilitated at the 20-week anomaly scan, labour, and birth  where hospitals consider it safe to do so

St Vincent’s Healthcare Group has said it 'must retain ownership of the site' on which a new National Maternity Hospital will be built, ahead of a Dáil debate on Wednesday on the hospital's ownership

Holly Cairns will abstain from tonight's votes as Minister for Justice Helen McEntee will not be able to attend due to maternity leave

First time a sitting Cabinet Minister needs to take maternity leave

Voting from home, extra staff for administrative work, and support for those who may have suffered a miscarriage have been suggested to facilitate maternity leave for local councillors

To think we offer no paid leave for women who suffer a miscarriage is actually archaic, not to mention inhumane

The Justice Minister said: 'Just as girls of my generation looked to the strong women who came before us for inspiration and guidance, those of us in politics now have a responsibility to make it easier for today’s girls to fulfil those dreams and ambitions'

Due to a 'manpower shortage', many practices are unable to find cover, resulting in new mothers returning to work early

An investigation into the incident has begun, but no arrests have yet been made

Helen McEntee is the first member of Cabinet to be pregnant and there is no clear provision in the Constitution to allow her to take maternity leave

It is “embarrassing” for the country that there is a scramble to find a solution to Minister for Justice Helen McEntee taking maternity leave in May, Cllr O'Byrne said 

“On the balance sheet of 2020, there will be losses and gains. Some will have far more losses than others, irretrievable ones at that”

Dublin City Council Women’s Committee is calling on the Government to take urgent action to allow sitting councillors to avail of maternity leave

New mothers are struggling because of the lack of supports available during the lockdowns, according to a leading Cork GP. Dr Mary Favier said that while some services have continued virtually, the women have become isolated.

Social Democrat TD is pushing to introduce maternity leave rights for all elected representatives after the issue was again highlighted following Helen McEntee's pregnancy announcement

Affording maternity leave to TDs and councillors would not correct all of the gender inequality in Ireland. But it would be a good start

While paid and unpaid leave for new fathers has increased and expanded in recent years, the uptake remains low, reports Political Correspondent Elaine Loughlin

Barack Obama’s memoir of his first term as America’s president is on course to be one of the best-read political memoirs this century.

The supports to which new mothers - and fathers - are entitled lag far behind the realities of life in 21st century Ireland, writes Elaine Loughlin

Minister has said significant work is needed to change the mindset around the division of responsibility of caring for children