Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I fully agree with that. They are working hard and have immense challenges. There has been a gap in terms of capacity. The Government, the HSE and my Department are working very hard to increase investment significantly while also insisting that the patient flow within the hospital be improved. That is the reality. I sent in a specialist team to examine the matter. The hospital has made a great deal of deal of progress, but things need to be better. That is the reality.

I thank the Deputy for the point about mental health supports for women in pregnancy. One of the important recommendations that we launched in the women's health plan related to perinatal mental health teams. Perinatal mental health teams are now being put in place right across the country. I met the team in Galway. It is multidisciplinary and covers social work, psychiatry and many different clinical groups. The conversations I have had with some patients have been very positive. That is a service that we need to continue to expand to make sure that women have it.