Minister for Justice, Helen McEntee has shared that she is “sure” some people were not happy when she took maternity leave for a second time.
The minister made this comment as she spoke about returning to work following the birth of her second child, and while she is “delighted” to be back, there is a “pretty hectic workload” ahead.
McEntee was asked upon her return to work if some Fine Gael colleagues could be potentially ruling her out for leadership due to her maternity leave, following various reports.
“I’m sure there are people who don’t approve of the fact that I took maternity leave for a second time,” she told press, according to Extra.ie.
“I don’t really have much to say to that.
“I think, as the same as any other woman, I should be entitled to take maternity leave as far as possible to go about my work, to come back, to continue my job.”
McEntee also said that the vast majority of her party have been nothing but supportive when it came to her maternity leave, but did acknowledge that the return to work has had it challenges.
According to the Examiner, she said: “I hope by myself, and indeed many of my other colleagues since then, taking maternity leave, I hope it shows that it is a career for women that it is a pathway that women cannot just be a TD and progress and be a Minister, but that you can actually continue to progress in your career while also having children.
“It’s difficult, can I just say that it’s like it’s not straightforward for anybody who’s working and has children be it male or female, it’s not straightforward, it’s not easy. But at the same time, it’s important to show that it can be done.”
