Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I acknowledge the Deputy's ongoing work in terms of advocacy and finding solutions for women's healthcare, including the national maternity strategy and many other issues. As she is aware, achieving a revolution in women's healthcare is a top priority for me and the rest of the Government. One of the cornerstones of advancing women's healthcare is the national maternity strategy. This year, I allocated unprecedented funding to the implementation of the strategy. To put it in context, we allocated five times more money this year than in previous years. The strategy is a great one, the clinical community has bought into it and it has strong support from patients, patient groups and so on across the country. We need to see it happen now. The funding will increase access to community midwifery and to allied and specialist services for women and babies. It will help expand breastfeeding supports in our hospitals, enhance postnatal care in the community and strengthen training and education supports for staff.

Choice of care for women is essential. Important for ensuring that choice is providing access to comfortable, low-tech and suitable birth rooms for women and families. This is recognised in the strategy and is central to delivering on the goal of enhanced midwifery care. That is why funding of nearly €200,000 is being allocated to the development of three additional home away from home suites this year in Sligo, Letterkenny and Portiuncula, adding to the nine sites already in service. The suites effectively replicate the environment and birthing infrastructure available in the midwifery-led units in Drogheda and Cavan, which will help support the full implementation of the supported care pathway and provide enhanced experiences and choice for women, which is essential.

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