New rules to see MEPs delegate voting rights to another during pregnancy and maternity leave

GOVERNMENT IS TO approve new EU rules that will see MEPs being permitted to delegate their voting rights to another MEP during pregnancy and maternity leave. 

Minister for Local Government James Browne seeks cabinet approval of the measures which will allow women to transfer their voting rights to another up to three months before their due date and six months after giving birth.

In November 2025, the European Parliament adopted a resolution proposing a targeted change to the European Electoral Act.

Taoiseach Micheál Martin wrote to EU Parliament President Robert Metsola in August strongly supporting the initiative, which he believes supports democratically elected members in continuing their parliamentary roles while balancing family life.

Metsola has said previously: “No member should lose her right to vote because of becoming a mother.” 

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The move comes just weeks after issues are still arising with politicians in Leinster House who avail of maternity leave after the birth of their child. 

Last week, Foreign Affairs Minister Helen McEntee called for further reform of the maternity leave structures that exist in Leinster House, after the issue was brought back into focus over expenses paid to Social Democrats leader Holly Cairns.  

Cairns was the subject of scrutiny earlier this month, after the Irish Times reported that she had to repay the Oireachtas €8,500 in expenses paid by the Oireachtas during her maternity leave last year. 

There was no wrongdoing on Cairns’ part; she had informed the Oireachtas she was taking maternity leave and would not be travelling to Leinster House, but despite this, the Oireachtas continued to pay her the travel and accommodation allowance that is given to TDs. 

McEntee, who was forced to make ad-hoc arrangements for both of her maternity leaves while holding ministerial office as no legislation was in place at the time, said it is “ridiculous” that a TD must submit a sick cert while on maternity leave. 

She said the government must “make the changes that need to be made” to reform the system.

“It’s completely ridiculous in this day and age that somebody who is on maternity leave would have to provide a sick cert to show that they were on maternity leave,” she said.