Government examining maternity leave for politicians

Justice Minister Helen McEntee, who is the first senior Cabinet minister in the history of the State to be pregnant while in office. File Picture. 

A referendum may be required before politicians are able to take maternity leave, the Taoiseach has said.

However, Micheál Martin has said the fact that female politicians are not entitled to leave when they have a child does not reflect well on a modern democracy and he wants it changed.