James Reilly (Dublin North, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I wish to reiterate that the HIQA report into the care and treatment provided to the late Savita Halappanavar recommended that as a priority maternity services should be reviewed, and a national maternity services strategy should be developed and implemented.

I have accepted that recommendation. The proposed national maternity strategy will determine the optimal configuration of maternity services to ensure women in Ireland have access to safe, high-quality maternity care in a setting most appropriate to their needs. The Department will oversee the development of the strategy, which will be informed by our national expertise as well as international expertise and analysis of maternity and gynaecological service configurations. The project is currently being scoped and it is expected to be published later this year.

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