Ms Mandy Daly:

I would like to reiterate what has been said by Dr. Murphy. We are here as a united front today to outline the current situation and to put forward proposals to tackle some of the blockages in the system. With respect to the neonatal ambulance service, money has been ring-fenced for the provision of a 24/7 service. To have it implemented will require a lifting of the moratorium on recruitment. That is one of our key issues today. As a parent organisation we are privileged to work with the medics. Huge strides have been made in the past number of years by the medical community who cater for our children. One of the biggest challenges we faced is the lack of understanding of pre-term birth in the broader community, including among the stakeholders in the field. For every child born, there is a journey for an entire family. As stated by Dr. Murphy, whether we bring the expertise to the children or the children to the expertise, it is vitally important this is done where appropriate and in time so as to prevent life long disabilities which have social impacts on the family and can have a financial burden on the State in general. By adopting the guidelines of Dr. Murphy's working group in relation to the structure of the neonatal system in the country we alleviate the financial and emotional impact on families. We also ensure that each unit has the appropriate skill set to care for the children in their care.