Minster Helen McEntee has shared her Mum guilt as she struggles to find a proper work/life balance as a mother of two and a cabinet minister.
Minister McEntee shared that she feels guilty that somedays she only see's her two sons over Zoom due to demanding work commitments.
She has shared that she feels 'responsibilities still fall on women in a different way than they do on men' as she talked about her career ambitions, and her husband Paul's role in her success.
READ MORE: Jenny Dixon opens up about the 'juggle' that is balancing work, personal life and parenthood
The minister said: “Since I've had the boys, I don't think my work has suffered. I think I'm still absolutely committed. But you are always grappling with how do I get that balance. It's a struggle to try and make sure that you get that right balance, and it is a challenge.
"Often some weeks I just feel guilty half the week because I mightn't have been home for two nights, or I've only seen them for half an hour in the morning or, you know, I've only seen them on zoom all day."
Continuing, Minister McEntee shared that she knows the zoom calls before bed are a struggle that don't suit everyone: "It is a challenge and there's no point in saying it isn't. We should be able to do all the same things as a man can do. But it is difficult. And I think sometimes responsibilities still fall on women in a different way than they do on men.”
Speaking with presenter Afif El-Khuffash on 'The Baby Tribe' podcast, Minister McEntee shared details of her parenting experience as the first minister ever to take maternity leave.
She said: “I've had two maternity leaves in a short space of time. Both times, from a political point of view, my colleagues have been nothing but supportive. The now Taoiseach (Leo Varadkar) was very straight up in saying you have to take time off with your family, which was great, and I really appreciated it. I hadn't even I hadn't even considered or thought how it would work even before then.
"When the Constitution was written, I suppose they didn't have women in mind so there was no such thing as maternity leave from a political point of view. We came up with an arrangement, where I became a minister without portfolio, but was still a cabinet minister, and then somebody took over my brief."
The minister credited her husband Paul for taking on a role that broke norms to help her achieve her ambitions: "In my first pregnancy, Paul took six months [leave], after I took the six months. So it just meant that we have absolute equal involvement and footing and approach to things which I think has been hugely helpful. And certainly in my work it's been hugely helpful. I think it does come down to there being an equality in men and women taking that leave.
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