Róisín Shortall (Dublin North West, Social Democrats) | Oireachtas source

An issue I wish to put to both witnesses which is central to what we are talking about today is the new maternity hospital and the likely services that will be provided there. I think most of us would argue that the type of services to be provided should be explicitly set out in any agreement. We know however that in recent weeks the HSE has come up with a form of words to describe the services that will be provided in the new national maternity hospital and that is they will be services that are clinically appropriate and legally permissible. I would like to ask the witnesses what their understanding of what "clinically appropriate" would be. It strikes me that if we are talking about providing services that are clinically appropriate in the new national maternity hospital, then it is a clinician who decides what is appropriate as opposed to the woman herself. My reading of that is that it is contrary to the legislation. I do not mean to put them on the spot, but I would like to ask their views on that, because there is a real concern that this thing is going to be wrapped up finally in the coming weeks. I ask that they might pursue this issue with the Minister for Health because I think it is potentially very dangerous. Have the witnesses any comment on providing services on the basis of what is decided is clinically appropriate as opposed to what should be available on request with the woman being the active agent?