Holly Cairns (Cork South West, Social Democrats) | Oireachtas source

On behalf of the Social Democrats, I join other Deputies in thanking all the amazing staff in the Houses.

I continue to hear from distraught expectant mothers and their families about ongoing restrictions in maternity hospitals. When I last raised this issue with the Tánaiste in early April, he said that bringing unvaccinated people into a hospital is a risk. Last week we learned that the HSE will not allow fully vaccinated partners to come in. The goalposts keep shifting. The Tánaiste and the Minister for Health assured me that this issue would be resolved, but it is not. Months have passed and society is reopening but many people must still endure labour and potentially tragic appointments alone. I ask the Tánaiste to help resolve this. Even back in December, the HSE reclassified partners as essential accompanying persons for the purposes of the 20-week scan. Therefore, the HSE could reclassify partners as essential accompanying persons for the entire maternity journey. That could happen immediately. I ask the Tánaiste to help.

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