Michael Harty (Clare, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I am grateful for the opportunity to contribute to the debate. Mandatory reporting and having automatic inquests on all maternal deaths should be enshrined in law. Very shortly following my election to this House, I met a lady in Ennis, Ms Martina Hynan, who brought to my attention that all maternal deaths did not require a mandatory inquest. I was quite shocked to hear that. I worked as a junior doctor in the Coombe hospital and if a maternal death occurred in that hospital it was taken seriously by the medical and nursing personnel, who viewed it as a failure on their part that somebody would die in the maternity services. I understood the internal inquiries led to inquests at a later date. I was quite shocked to find that was not the case.

Martina Hynan is an artist who is part of the Elephant Collective, which is a multimedia expedition that travels around Ireland. It commemorates the deaths of those who died in our maternity services and tries to heighten awareness of those deaths. I was impressed by her. I also saw Anne Marie Green's documentary, "Picking Up the Threads: Remaking the Fabric of Care", again highlighting the issue of those who die in our maternity services or shortly after their deliveries.

The Bill mentions indirect maternal deaths, direct maternal deaths and late maternal; it covers all aspects of care. It is shocking that, in 2018, we not have automatic mandatory reporting. Those ladies, and men, who have campaigned tirelessly for this legislation visited county councils throughout the country.

Deputy Clare Daly has mentioned many councils - Clare, Sligo, Donegal, Wexford and probably many others - that have endorsed the campaign to have mandatory inquests on all maternal deaths. I know Deputy Daly does not want to be thanked but we Rural Independents Deputies generally end up speaking after her and we do want to thank her for all the work she has done in this regard and in many other campaigns. It is very important that this aspect of the Coroners (Amendment) Bill is taken seriously. If amendments need to be made to it, they should be made. It is absolutely essential that women get proper care but also that the families of those women who died, their husbands, parents and the children who were left behind, get answers on what the circumstances were in respect of their deaths. That does not in any way imply that there was any negligence in those deaths but it is very important that they are properly investigated so that those in caring roles can learn from what happened to prevent it from happening in the future.

I commend the Bill to the House and hope it makes a rapid passage through the Oireachtas.

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