Social Democrats leader Holly Cairns said she is “overjoyed” to be expecting her first baby with her partner Barry.
The Cork South-West TD shared the news on Instagram yesterday.
Speaking on RTÉ’s Sunday with Miriam, she said that she is 17 weeks pregnant, but did not reveal the news sooner because she wanted the focus to be on the election.
“We’ve been trying for some time, so we are absolutely delighted,” she said.
“Finally, out of the first trimester, I have to say I feel a kind of renewed sense of energy after that, so yeah, we are really delighted.”
Ms Cairns added that she was a bit nervous speaking about her pregnancy in the event things did not go to plan, but said that “fingers crossed it is looking good”.
“I suppose speaking about it is really important as well because I know a lot of women have juggled having a baby and work, so I’m definitely not the first person who is going to be doing that, but I do acknowledge the kind of unique job that I have in being the leader of a political party and that this is kind of unchartered territory,” she said.
“We do not really have a template for this.”
She said she wanted to reassure party members and her colleagues that she was as committed as ever to leading the party into the next general election.
Ms Cairns said her road to pregnancy was not easy, having had two miscarriages in the last year or so.
“It is something that we know happens to quite a lot of people. I think it is one in three women experience it, and we just do not hear a lot about it,” she said, adding that hearing other women speak about it was comforting.
“You’re less alone, like you’re not the only one going through it,” she said.
She said while it was not easy, it needed to be talked about.
“I think that makes me feel maybe a little bit vulnerable as well announcing this pregnancy because I think when it happens a couple of times, you’re kind of weary that it might happen again, but everything is looking good for this pregnancy too,” Ms Cairns said.
“There have been challenging times. I’ve always been grateful to be in the Social Democrats, but I’ve never felt more grateful for being in a party that is so supportive for parents.”
Her partner Barry is from the same area, and the pair went to different primary schools in the same parish and the same secondary school.
Ms Cairns is the first party leader pregnant going into an election, adding that her plan is to take six months maternity leave.
She said the party deputy leader, Dublin Bay North TD Cian O’Callaghan, will step into the leadership role for that time.
