Billy Kelleher (Cork North Central, Fianna Fail)

I thank the Ceann Comhairle for allowing me the opportunity to raise this important issue. I have no wish to sound alarmist. The Minister of State is fully aware of the issue facing the Health Service Executive in trying to provide support for maternity services in view of the number of highly qualified midwives who have built up a wealth of experience over many years but who are retiring from the health services sector. As January draws to a close, we should know the full impact of the projected retirements up to 29 February this year. That is something that we do not have to wait too much longer for. We know that there will be fewer midwives working in the HSE in the months ahead. That in itself will create huge difficulties but coupled with the projected rise in the birth rate, this will put huge additional pressure on the maternity services in this country.

The director of the HSE's obstetrics and gynaecology programme, Professor Michael Turner, said on 18 January 2011 that staff reductions and cuts to the HSE maternity service programme could see an increase in Ireland's maternal and infant mortality rate. That is a very serious statement from a highly qualified eminent person. On 24 January 2012, consultant obstetrician Gerry Burke said, "Unfortunately some babies and women may pay for [this] with their lives".

I do not want to be alarmist but if there is a contingency plan in place it should be published in advance. The Government and the HSE should outline it quite clearly in order to allay everybody's concerns. I am not just talking about the concerns of pregnant mothers, but also the concerns of staff who are providing the front line services. Will they have enough colleagues in the event of pressure coming on the service after 1 March? The contingency plan should be published in the next few days, because at that stage, the Government will know how people will be retiring on 29 February.

The Government should not dismiss, as has been the case so far, the comments of eminent people who are at the coalface of health service delivery, and who have an in depth knowledge of the maternity services in this country. They are saying quite clearly that there is potential risk to life in the event of there being no contingency plan in place and no increase in the number of midwives available to the HSE in providing services after 29 February.

See this speech in context