Mary Harney (Dublin Mid West, Progressive Democrats)

I am familiar with difficulties that have recently arisen both in Cork and in Drogheda regarding the provision of maternity services. As the House will be aware, the new state-of-the-art Cork University Maternity Hospital was due to open last Saturday but did not because of non co-operation on the part of the Irish Nurses Organisation, which has been claiming that midwifery staffing levels at the hospital would compromise patient safety. The HSE, together with medical consultant staff at the hospital and midwifery managers, are completely satisfied that the level of midwifery staffing currently available is sufficient for the safe opening of 128 of the 144 beds. The HSE has been in regular contact with midwives in the course of the week. It is encouraging that more than 300 midwives have attended orientation programmes at the new hospital during the week. The HSE has set a new date of Saturday next for the opening of the hospital. I sincerely hope that common sense will prevail in ensuring the facility is opened next Saturday.

In the case of Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital in Drogheda, my Department has been informed by the HSE that the number of women in the Louth-Meath region presenting for assessment during pregnancy has increased significantly in recent years. The projected figure for 2007 is more than 4,500, an increase of more than 100% since 2000 when approximately 2,100 women presented at the hospital. The HSE acknowledges this has placed additional pressure on services and has resulted in women having to wait longer than planned for assessment by a consultant obstetrician. My Department is advised that the HSE has recently approved 22 new midwife posts, two specialist nurse posts and three new consultant anaesthetist posts to relieve the current pressures. That will be closely monitored in the maternity unit at the hospital relative to demand.

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