Mary Butler (Waterford, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Deputy for raising this very important issue. I know it has been an issue of concern for women and their families. I fully appreciate that limitations on partners accessing maternity services have been very difficult for everyone over the course of the Covid-19 pandemic. That is why I was surprised earlier when I read the topic to which I was to respond this evening. I was not aware that partner restrictions were still in place. I do not believe they are in every maternity hospital but obviously they are still in some. Deputy Hourigan, like me, is a mother and we have plenty of dads here in the Dáil Chamber. People need support at many times in their lives and this is one important time in life when people need to have support.

The objective throughout Covid had always been to keep maternity services as safe as possible, support the woman on her pregnancy journey and facilitate access for the nominated support partner. Maternity services have remained focused on maximising access and, in effect, all restrictions that were introduced during the pandemic have now been removed, including for routine scanning, labour, delivery and time spent on antenatal and postnatal wards.

However, the clinical advice has always been focused on the potential for infection to spread in maternity services, and the highest priority is protecting the health and safety of the women and babies in our care. Variations exist across our maternity services and hospitals which include case load, complexity and infrastructure. This all feeds into decisions made in relation to infection prevention and control risks in our maternity services.

The HSE has advised the Department that Health Protection Surveillance Centre, HPSC, guidance and restrictions that were in place regarding access to maternity services in the context of Covid-19 are no longer applicable. That is why I was surprised to find I was responding to this matter. There are limited exceptions introduced at times, based on local infection control and health and safety measures. Everyone appreciates that there are times when local infection takes over but limitations on access for nominated support partners should always be the minimum required to manage this risk. They must be clearly explained and should be applied with consideration for individual circumstances and needs. In all circumstances a person-centred approach should be adopted to recognise the context in which the presence of a support person is required.

Each maternity service assesses its ability to accommodate access for partners in the context of local facilities and infection control requirements. For example, in light of the recent fire at Wexford hospital, while support partners can attend all antenatal appointments, they are requested to wait outside until their pregnant partner is called for her appointment.

The HSE recognises that a nominated support partner plays a central part in supporting a person using maternity services. The support person also has a right to be present and to participate in the care process to the greatest practical degree.

Regarding children visiting at maternity services, as in all other hospital settings, in circumstances where a woman has a long length of stay, the hospital should provide reasonable access for her children to visit her.

I assure the Deputy that any access limitations individual hospitals may implement from time to time are necessary for infection prevention and control. A decision to limit access is taken locally by clinicians and hospital management who know their own circumstances intimately. The HSE has assured the Department that every effort continues to be made to maximise access for partners and their loved ones during their maternity care. It is obvious, however, that this is not the case in all hospitals, as Deputy Hourigan outlined.

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