Catherine Byrne (Dublin South Central, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Chairman and committee staff for organising this meeting. I have been concerned about this issue for some time and am delighted to have had the opportunity to hear expert views on it and to hear the witnesses speak about it with such passion. I live very close to the Coombe hospital which is in the area I represent and I meet mothers regularly who I know to have substance abuse issues, not only with drugs but also with alcohol and cigarettes. I am delighted that Dr. Foran mentioned alcohol because that was the basis of my request for this meeting. I know a number of people who foster children with high-dependency issues as a result of parental alcohol and drug abuse. I have spoken to these foster parents about caring for such children, many of whom do not present with problems until they are seven or eight years old. The foster parents have spoken to me about the difficulties they face in dealing with this and how it can lead to many problematic medical conditions in the children.

I have read the reports submitted by the witnesses which are wonderful. I will take them home with me and carry out more research into this area because it is an issue about which I am passionate. I never knew that when a baby goes into an intensive care unit he or she is given methadone. I never realised that was part of the process of treating the child. I support the drug liaison midwife system fully. I have met people who have gone through the system and have come out the other end. How many drug liaison midwives are there in the Dublin region?