Maternity plan ‘a real positive’ for Irish politics

Fine Gael councillor Sinead Sheppard. Picture: David Keane.

Cork county councillor Sinead Sheppard, a mother of three, has welcomed the announcement that local councillors will be entitled to maternity leave

Ms Sheppard, who became a councillor 13 years ago at the age of 27 and has had all three of her children while in office, said the Cabinet-approved proposal is “a big step forward for Irish politics”.

Currently, councillors are not covered by statutory maternity leave entitlement.

Under the proposals, a councillor will be allowed to temporarily appoint a replacement for the time they are on leave.

They will alternatively be able to apply for €230 a week to pay someone to help with secretarial work.

“It's absolutely great,” Ms Sheppard said.

We need to encourage more women to get into politics both locally and nationally.

“In order to do that, we need to bring in moves like this to make it more appealing for women to get involved in politics.

“There aren't that many young women in politics having babies because it has just been almost near impossible.”

She had her first son, Charlie, in 2013, when she was Mayor of Cobh and a councillor on the urban council and recalls attending a civic function three weeks later.

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“When I look back on it now, it’s a bit of a fog and I have to say that it didn't massively bother me,” Ms Sheppard, who runs her own dance school, said.

“I have always been lucky in that both sets of grandparents have always been around to look after our sons.

“But what about those women who don’t have the same support?”

She added: “The problem is, if you take that time off, you have to be on the ground in your locality, in your constituency, doing your clinics or answering phone calls or, you know, making representation on behalf of those who have elected you.

“So if you decide to take a full six months off, your worry then goes back to hang on a second: are you representing the people that elected you and is there somebody somebody else that's going to take your seat off you?”

She had her second son Bobby in 2015, and her third, Oscar, in 2018.

Councillor Sheppard has had to bring her children into the Cork County Council's council chamber in County Hall a few times in the past because she had no alternative.

She says the new proposals are long overdue.

“Anybody else that's young in politics might now feel encouraged that they can progress in politics and have a young family,” she said.

“It's really positive for Irish politics.”