Robert Dowds (Dublin Mid West, Labour) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the women in the Gallery and thank the Minister for his commitment to deal with the issue within the year. I also thank Deputy Ó Caoláin for putting this Bill before the House.

I knew nothing whatever about symphysiotomy until my colleague, Deputy Ann Phelan, and one or two other Deputies, drew my attention to it. I found it nauseating and quite difficult to believe that such physical damage could be done to a pregnant woman's pelvic area in order to allow a birth in the 20th century. The practice of symphysiotomy meant some survivors were left with severe and lifelong after-effects such as those outlined by Deputy Humphreys, like incontinence, impaired mobility and so on. It seems incomprehensible that 1,500 women underwent such procedures between 1944 and 1992, given that from the late 19th century it became increasingly possible to do safe caesarean sections.

When I wrote this speech, I had not been thinking of situations familiar to me but I have realised that the practice continued in Drogheda at least until 1992. My son was born in 1984 by caesarean section because my wife had a very difficult pregnancy. He was born in the Coombe hospital and my wife always had tremendous praise for all the staff there, as everything was done to see that his arrival was safe. Thank God it was so. For another eight years afterwards, this barbaric practice was continued in at least one other hospital, which I can hardly believe. That flies in the face of the experience I know my wife and many other women had in the Coombe and many other hospitals. We know the caesarean section practice was safe so why in the name of God was the symphysiotomy practice continued until 1992?

From conversations with Deputy Nash and one or two others I know that the practice seemed to persist particularly when treating women who were less well connected in society. There is no logical answer to why that is so. What was going through the minds of any medical practitioner carrying out the practice at the time? I am very pleased by the reaction of the Minister and I hope he will deliver on that promise. It is very important for the Government and the people of the country that it is delivered as rapidly as possible.

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