Richard Bruton (Dublin Bay North, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

It is very clear that the Government is committed to increasing the number of midwives in the service and has already been doing so steadily. The level is the highest ever, even though the birthrate is now falling. There is a recognition that the ratio of midwives to new births needs to be increased.

Of course, there are issues in the context of rolling it out, recruitment and so on. There is a trajectory regarding increasing recruitment in that area. There have been some difficulties in recruitment but there is a clear commitment to expand.

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