Mary Butler (Waterford, Fianna Fail)

I again thank the Deputy for raising this issue. I acknowledge and appreciate his knowledge of the situation on his doorstep. In some cases they may be patients he has worked with previously. I accept his passion about that. He is absolutely right. We have to prioritise patient safety not only at Portiuncula but across all maternity units in Ireland. The Minister and the Department of Health are continuing to work closely with the external management team, the HSE clinical leaders and families to ensure that the necessary improvements are delivered and sustained.

Pregnancy in Ireland is predominantly a safe experience with good outcomes. Ireland compares well with similar countries on international safety metrics. While most women experience straightforward pregnancy and delivery, sometimes things go wrong. When they do, the health service must do all it can to establish what happened and support these women, their babies and their families to the greatest extent possible, and try to prevent it from happening again. I hear what the Deputy said about capacity issues at University Hospital Galway. I also hear what he said that asking women, who might be from a deprived area and whose financial situation might not be good, to make an additional journey for the safety of them and their babies, which is understood, can put them at a financial risk. I will certainly raise that with the Minister.

There has been focused investment in the quality and safety pillar of the national maternity strategy but I know the Deputy is speaking specifically about Portiuncula today. I give him a commitment on the floor the Dáil that I will speak to the Minister today about the issues he has raised. It is a difficult time for many women - people need to go through pregnancy to understand that. People need to be reassured that they will get the best care for them and their babies and I know that is what the staff are trying to do. I acknowledge the issues the Deputy has raised here today.

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