Anne Rabbitte (Galway East, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Deputy for raising this matter. I congratulate him and his wife on the birth of their second child, a daughter. Having been through maternity three times, I fully endorse what he has said. It is not just for the arrival of the baby. From a female perspective, of course the mothers want their partner, husband or wife with them at that time. They need that support because they do not know what news they might be facing after any scan. That is why it is important, and I take on board what the Deputy said.

I have a particular answer from the Department, but that does not mean I do not have empathy and understanding of why the Deputy is raising it and why constituents of his and constituents of all of ours around the country are raising this issue. We will continue to raise it on behalf of our constituents because there is can be anxiety attached to it at a time that should be joyous and memorable.

I thank the Deputy for bringing this important issue before the House. The Department is aware of how difficult these restrictions have been for expectant mothers and fathers. I fully acknowledge the worry and concern they have caused. As the House will be aware, maternity services are core, essential services that need to be able to provide 24-7 care throughout the country, as we continue to deal with the Covid-19 pandemic. While it is, of course, desirable that the impact on the experience of women is kept to an absolute minimum, unfortunately, to protect women, babies, staff and, indeed, our maternity service as a whole, it has been necessary to reduce footfall in maternity hospitals.

This has been achieved in a number of ways, including through remote appointments and expanded community services. Visitor restrictions were also introduced, which, unfortunately, included limitations on access of partners to maternity wards, theatres and appointments. I assure the House that these decisions were not taken lightly.

Significant variations in caseload, complexity and infrastructure exist across the system and decisions on restrictions were made, implemented and reviewed at hospital level to ensure local flexibility to account for different circumstances in different maternity units.

It is worth noting that there have been no Covid maternal deaths in this country, and we have had a relatively low incidence in pregnant women. In that regard, it is clear that, to date, our maternity hospitals have continued to keep women, babies and staff safe, while delivering quality care in very challenging circumstances.

The issue of visitor restrictions has been kept under review. I am pleased to inform the House that last week the HSE issued guidance regarding attendance at acute hospitals, including in maternity hospitals. The guidance notes that a partner should generally be facilitated to accompany a woman in labour and childbirth, and that while most hospital inpatient stays in maternity services are of short duration, it is generally appropriate to facilitate visiting by a partner through this period. The guidance further advises that parents should be facilitated to visit an infant who is in the neonatal intensive care unit, with due regard for the need to manage the risk to all infants in the unit.

However, we cannot become complacent. The virus is still transmitting in the community and we must be on high alert. An outbreak of Covid-19 among staff or patients would have a severely negative impact and reduce our ability to provide maternity services.

Maternity hospitals wish to facilitate support from partners as far as possible. I welcome the easing of some of the restrictions in maternity hospitals. I am assured that maternity units and hospitals are working towards compliance with the HSE’s new guidance.

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