Social Democrats leader Holly Cairns will miss the opening of the new Dáil term after being advised by her doctors to take it easy ahead of the birth of her first child in early November.
Cairns, who led her party through the recent general election campaign, had been expected to take her seat when the new Dáil sits for the first time. However, on medical advice, she will not be present for the start of the term as she prepares for the arrival of her baby.
The Social Democrats confirmed the news this week, with the party making clear that Cairns is following the guidance of her medical team. It is understood she is due to give birth in early November, meaning the timing of the new Dáil sitting falls right in the middle of a critical period for her.
Cairns made no secret of her pregnancy during the election campaign, continuing to canvass and lead her party through a gruelling few weeks on the road. She was widely praised for her energy and visibility throughout the campaign, with the Social Democrats performing solidly at the polls.
Her absence from the opening of the Dáil is not expected to be long-term, with the expectation that she will return to her duties once she has recovered from the birth and feels ready to get back to work.
The news puts a spotlight once again on the challenges facing politicians who are also parents, particularly mothers, and the lack of formal maternity structures within the Oireachtas. Ireland has made some progress in recent years on this front, but the situation facing Cairns highlights that there is still a gap between how workplaces in general handle parental leave and how parliament operates.
Cairns has been one of the more prominent younger voices in Irish politics since she was first elected. She took over the leadership of the Social Democrats and has worked to build the party into a more recognisable force in Irish political life. Her profile rose significantly during the election cycle, and she is seen as one of the key figures in opposition politics going forward.
For now though, her focus is firmly on her health and her growing family, and few would argue with that priority. The Social Democrats are expected to manage party business in her absence, with colleagues stepping up to cover her responsibilities in the Dáil during the initial sitting days.
Supporters and political rivals alike have largely responded with warmth to the news, with many taking to social media to wish her well ahead of the birth. It is the kind of moment that cuts through the usual noise of political life and serves as a reminder that the people sitting in Dáil Eireann are, at the end of the day, just people navigating the same big life moments as everyone else.
Cairns is expected to return to the Dáil in the weeks following the birth when she is ready to do so.