Mary supports the women, who became new mothers during Covid19, campaign for a temporary three month extension Maternity Leave 2020.

As a working mother Mary understands the demands placed on women in the workplace and at home.

Covid19 has been hard on everyone but new mothers experienced a unique isolation and Mary believes every Mother and her baby must be supported and enabled to experience a quality maternity leave.

Mary signed the petition to #ExtendMaternityLeave2020 and stood with the National Women’s Council of Ireland outside Leinster House in solidarity to raise awareness of other legislators.  

In the Seanad Mary raised the issue and called for the Oireachtas Covid-19 Committee to work with the various Ministers to approve the extension.

At Mary’s first Fianna Fail Parliamentary party meeting, Mary urged An Taoiseach Michael Martin and Minister for Public Expenditure Michael McGrath to extend maternity benefit in 2020.

Mary hopes that the new Government will support new mothers and extend maternity leave 2020 as soon as possible.