Kathleen Lynch (Cork North Central, Labour) | Oireachtas source

I should clarify for the House that the Minister for Health is not present to deal with this Topical Issue because he is meeting the families involved in the aforementioned tragedies at the Midland Regional Hospital in Portlaoise. I am sure the Deputy will agree that the Minister is right to meet them.

I thank the Deputy for raising this issue and affording me the opportunity to offer my sincerest sympathies to the family at the centre of this sad incident. I am very conscious of their personal tragedy, and do not, in any way, want to intrude on their privacy. It is important at this time that we give the family the space to grieve and I am sure they are grieving.

Of course, the HSE will undertake a review of the circumstances of the case and in so doing will follow the HSE incident management policy. Pending the outcome of that review, it is not appropriate for me to make any further comments on the specific incident. HIQA will conduct a focused programme of monitoring of compliance with the National Standards for Safer Better Healthcare across maternity services nationally. This programme will include the maternity unit at Cavan General Hospital and will be undertaken this year.

Concerns were raised regarding maternity services in Cavan following the deaths of three babies between 2012 and 2014. Following the death of the third baby in May 2014, the previous Minister for Health, Deputy Reilly, wrote to HIQA requesting that priority be given to a review of the maternity services in Cavan General Hospital against the national standards. I understand that HIQA has made contact with the HSE and details of the three incidents have been furnished to the authority.

With regard to the specific infant death referred to by the Deputy, the investigation into this tragic incident is still under way. I can make no further comment at this time. We are, of course, all too painfully aware of the events detailed in the HIQA report into maternity services at Portlaoise hospital. The Minister, Deputy Varadkar, briefed this House on the findings of that report yesterday and Deputies will be aware of his views on the failings in our services as detailed in the report.

I assure the House that action is being taken to address the serious concerns raised in the HIQA Portlaoise report. The Minister, Deputy Varadkar, has decided to establish a national women and infants health programme to address and improve maternity services across the country. The programme will provide the cross-sectoral framework and the necessary governance, integration and leadership to drive reform and standardise care across all 19 maternity units.

One of the Minister's priorities for 2015 is the publication of the national maternity strategy. The strategy will provide the policy to underpin the women and infants health programme. The steering group to advise on the strategy met for the first time last week and had a very useful engagement. The group is expected to report to the Minister before the end of the year. I believe it is expected in October.

I wish to clarify one other issue before the Deputy stands up because I do not want him to be wasting his time. I have a copy of a letter from the previous Minister for Health to Mr. Brian McEnery, the chairperson of HIQA. It outlines the concerns over Cavan General Hospital's maternity unit and the events there. In his letter the Minister requested HIQA to prioritise the monitoring of the maternity unit at Cavan General Hospital. Unfortunately, that request, as far as I know, has not been carried out, but it would be re-emphasised at this time.

Again not to have the Deputy wasting his time when he stands up for his second intervention let me also say that there is a very delicate balance over what Ministers can say to HIQA while not having that seen as an intrusion on its statutory and separated powers from Government. That is a line we all tread every day.

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