Alan Dillon (Mayo, Fine Gael)

I thank both Deputies for raising this important matter around concerns relating to the delivery of maternity services at Portiuncula University Hospital. I am taking this on behalf of the Minister, Deputy Carroll MacNeill, who is unavoidably absent today.

The safety and quality of our maternity services are of critical importance to the women and families who use them, as well as to the Government. I understand recent developments at Portiuncula may undoubtedly cause concern and worry for many women and families who attend or plan to attend services at the Portiuncula maternity unit. However, steps are being taken to support the unit and to ensure the safety of women attending maternity services across the region. There are 12 external reviews related to maternity care at Portiuncula, which are at various stages of progress. Seven of these reviews have now been completed. The individual review reports were shared with the relevant families in July 2025. The HSE has engaged individually with each family to discuss the findings of these reviews, address their questions and outline the next steps. The Minister for Health has previously met some of the families concerned and has asked Portiuncula to provide the families affected with whatever support they need. The HSE has set up an information line for women booked with the maternity unit to contact if they have any further queries.

The HSE has advised that work to implement the recommendations arising from the reviews is in progress through the work of the Portiuncula external management team and the regional women’s and children’s managed clinical and academic network. An implementation team has been established to ensure the implementation of the recommendations arising from all reviews and to progress any further changes required over the coming months. There are currently 52 recommendations being implemented, arising from the seven reviews completed to date. This implementation team will also oversee the transfer of care for an expanded group of women with higher-risk pregnancies from Portiuncula to University Hospital Galway or the hospital of their choice. This is in line with well-established pathways already in place for the transfer of care of complex or higher-risk pregnancies within the regional maternity network. This approach has now been broadened to include women with a wide range of clinical factors known to contribute to higher-risk pregnancies. The HSE has communicated this to the women and families booked at Portiuncula, as well as their GPs. The HSE has advised the Department that ongoing engagement is happening with GPs with a briefing session being held this week.

The reconfiguration of maternity services in Portiuncula University Hospital to move higher-risk pregnancies off the site will mean some women in rural communities who previously attended Portiuncula will now need to travel to University Hospital Galway or other units for certain aspects of their maternity care. It is acknowledged these changes may create additional travel demands for expectant mothers and their families. HSE west and north-west, through the work of the implementation team, will consider what contingencies and supports can reasonably be put in place to assist women affected.

A highly experienced external management team was put in place in January 2025 to oversee and manage maternity services at Portiuncula.

This work will continue to progress over the coming months, with close monitoring and engagement within both the HSE and the Department of Health. This will include ensuring that sufficient capacity and resources are in place across the HSE west and north-west region.

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