Minister Helen McEntee has given birth to a baby boy.
She made history by becoming the first sitting minister to take maternity leave when she left work for six months on Tuesday.
Minister Heather Humphries has taken over the justice portfolio on a temporary basis during her colleague's leave.
Minister McEntee, meanwhile, will remain a member of the Government as a 'minister without portfolio'.
She'll then be reappointed as justice minister when she returns to work in November.
Minister McEntee last year became the first Cabinet minister in the history of the State to be pregnant while in office.
It led to a fresh debate about the lack of maternity and paternity leave for politicians.
A Citizens' Assembly has now recommended that maternity leave be introduced for all elected representatives.
