Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I agree with the Deputy. Maternity services were neglected compared to other parts of the health service, even in years when money was aplenty. It cannot, therefore, just be put down to a recessionary challenge. It was an issue going back through the generations and we have to work collectively to rectify it. I acknowledge the Deputy said the national maternity strategy is a good document but it has not been fully implemented in any way, shape or form. However, it was published last January and it is a living, breathing document. We have to get on to implement it. We are using the same model to implement it as was successfully used by previous Governments to implement the national cancer strategy. Rather than it just being a strategy, there will be a national women and infants health programme within the HSE to drive it and, by any objective standard, that attaches a priority to its delivery and implementation.

According to the October census, there were 1,402 whole-time equivalent midwife posts within the health service and when midwives, midwife managers and other midwifery specialists are included, there were 1,934 whole-time equivalents.

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