Social Democrats leader Holly Cairns has said she is “overjoyed” to share her pregnancy announcement.
The Cork Southwest TD said on Instagram she is expecting a baby girl with her partner.
“We are so happy and feel so lucky because this is something we have wanted for a long time,” she said.
Deputy Cairns said she was “hesitant” to share the news until recently.
“Like so many other couples hoping to start a family, ours has not been a straightforward journey,” she said.
“But all the signs look good for this pregnancy, so we are really hopeful.”
She also noted she is “not the first woman to juggle work and a baby” but she has “a very unique job as leader of a political party”.
“That’s why more than ever, I feel very grateful to belong to a party who are so supportive of parents and passionate about making sure we get #MoreMná into politics,” she said.
“I feel so lucky to have such a great team around me, and this, along with the amazing results from last weekend, makes me more excited than ever to lead the Social Democrats into the next election.”
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Deputy Cairns was elected to the Dáil in the 2020 general election after serving in local council for a year.
She was made leader of the Social Democrats after co-leaders Roisín Shortall and Catherine Murphy stepped down in early 2023.
Justice Minister Helen McEntee was the last Irish political figure to have a child while serving.
Simon Harris, then Higher Education Minister, served as interim Justice Minister while Deputy McEntee was on maternity leave.
Independent TD Violet-Anne Wynne entered a pairing agreement with Ms McEntee that she would not vote in the Dáil until the minister returned to balance out her absence.
During Deputy McEntee’s first pregnancy in 2021, Deputy Cairns entered a pairing agreement with the Justice Minister.
