Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

In February the Minister for Health, Deputy James Reilly, announced the national maternity care strategy, but we have still not seen the terms of reference. At this stage, we are entitled to see them because this is a very important issue. Some people working in maternity services argue that they need immediate intervention by the Government to upgrade staffing levels to provide an obstetrician-led service, more midwives and better conditions. Not long ago, leading practitioners in the field of obstetrics said our maternity hospitals were not safe and did not have safe staffing levels and that those responsible for delivering a safe service were at the end of their tether because of the difficulty in recruiting obstetricians. There are clear issues regarding terms and conditions which have resulted in shortages and great difficulty in recruiting obstetricians and midwives. We need to see the terms of reference and I ask the Taoiseach to come back to me on their publication. Although the strategy which began in February is meant to be complete by October, we have not seen the terms of reference. The Taoiseach has shoved the west and north west into the process because it was too hot a potato for him to deal with.

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