Neale Richmond (Dublin Rathdown, Fine Gael)
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I greatly appreciate the opportunity to speak on this matter this evening. I also greatly appreciate the Minister of State, Deputy Rabbitte, being present for this debate. This is an issue that she and I have discussed at various fora in the past few extremely difficult weeks and months. I know this has been a particularly difficult week for the entire country as we deal with this rising pandemic and the new restrictions that regrettably but necessarily were introduced.

I listened to quite a bit of the previous debate. With the restrictions under level 5, there are so many things that people are rightly questioning because they are concerned. Sometimes they are even picking holes to find ways to get around restrictions. People are raising very real concerns over the impact of these restrictions on all aspects of society.

One of the great differences between the previous lockdown and now, as the Minister, Deputy Stephen Donnelly, said in his earlier remarks was the fact that so many more medical treatments and services are remaining open. People will still be able to get in to get those essential services, which is vital. However, this one is a bit closer to home. I pay credit to Deputy Cairns and my Fine Gael colleague, Senator Currie, who have raised the issue in this House and in the Seanad many times. It is something very personal.

On 5 May at the height of the first lockdown, my wife and I very happily welcomed our second child, a daughter, into the world. It was a bizarre situation as I found myself in a row of 12 cars on Merrion Square waiting. As my wife was in the maternity hospital under wonderful care from the doctors, midwives, supporters and everybody else, I was sitting outside waiting. As I said, it was our second child. When we had our first child a couple of years ago, I was there for the entire 26-hour process. I do not expect any sympathy, nor do I deserve any. However, this time I was left outside to wait, to worry and to hope that the phone call would come in time for me to be able to be there for the birth of my second child, my daughter. Thankfully, I was.

However, that process and everything that has gone with it, including the inability to attend prenatal appointments was extremely stressful. I am talking about my own personal experience, not looking for any sympathy but trying to paint the picture of what is happening to couples and individuals around the country every day.

Despite the guidelines, which I have gratefully received from the Department, there is still considerable concern that birth partners will not be able to join their partner for the birth of their child. I deliberately say "birth partner" because it does not necessarily have to be a husband or wife. It could be a mother, a sibling or anyone. Going into labour on one's own is a very daunting process, as is going to those very difficult appointments such as the 20-week scan and others one one's own. They must also face the postnatal care alone, trying to understand what the doctor is saying.

We need to have absolute clarity. As I read it, level 5 allows the visiting policy to be suspended, aside from critical child-centred and compassionate circumstances. Everything about those appointments prior to the birth, during the birth and after the birth are critical, child-centred and compassionate. We need to have clarity that every maternity hospital in the State will ensure a birth partner will be there, not just for the delivery but for the appointments before and after the birth. It is vital and we need to ensure over the next six weeks that expectant mothers around the country do not need to go in on their own and, crucially, that the father, when it is fathers, have the right to attend the birth of their child.

Anne Rabbitte (Galway East, Fianna Fail)
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I thank the Deputy for raising this matter. I congratulate him and his wife on the birth of their second child, a daughter. Having been through maternity three times, I fully endorse what he has said. It is not just for the arrival of the baby. From a female perspective, of course the mothers want their partner, husband or wife with them at that time. They need that support because they do not know what news they might be facing after any scan. That is why it is important, and I take on board what the Deputy said.

I have a particular answer from the Department, but that does not mean I do not have empathy and understanding of why the Deputy is raising it and why constituents of his and constituents of all of ours around the country are raising this issue. We will continue to raise it on behalf of our constituents because there is can be anxiety attached to it at a time that should be joyous and memorable.

I thank the Deputy for bringing this important issue before the House. The Department is aware of how difficult these restrictions have been for expectant mothers and fathers. I fully acknowledge the worry and concern they have caused. As the House will be aware, maternity services are core, essential services that need to be able to provide 24-7 care throughout the country, as we continue to deal with the Covid-19 pandemic. While it is, of course, desirable that the impact on the experience of women is kept to an absolute minimum, unfortunately, to protect women, babies, staff and, indeed, our maternity service as a whole, it has been necessary to reduce footfall in maternity hospitals.

This has been achieved in a number of ways, including through remote appointments and expanded community services. Visitor restrictions were also introduced, which, unfortunately, included limitations on access of partners to maternity wards, theatres and appointments. I assure the House that these decisions were not taken lightly.

Significant variations in caseload, complexity and infrastructure exist across the system and decisions on restrictions were made, implemented and reviewed at hospital level to ensure local flexibility to account for different circumstances in different maternity units.

It is worth noting that there have been no Covid maternal deaths in this country, and we have had a relatively low incidence in pregnant women. In that regard, it is clear that, to date, our maternity hospitals have continued to keep women, babies and staff safe, while delivering quality care in very challenging circumstances.

The issue of visitor restrictions has been kept under review. I am pleased to inform the House that last week the HSE issued guidance regarding attendance at acute hospitals, including in maternity hospitals. The guidance notes that a partner should generally be facilitated to accompany a woman in labour and childbirth, and that while most hospital inpatient stays in maternity services are of short duration, it is generally appropriate to facilitate visiting by a partner through this period. The guidance further advises that parents should be facilitated to visit an infant who is in the neonatal intensive care unit, with due regard for the need to manage the risk to all infants in the unit.

However, we cannot become complacent. The virus is still transmitting in the community and we must be on high alert. An outbreak of Covid-19 among staff or patients would have a severely negative impact and reduce our ability to provide maternity services.

Maternity hospitals wish to facilitate support from partners as far as possible. I welcome the easing of some of the restrictions in maternity hospitals. I am assured that maternity units and hospitals are working towards compliance with the HSE’s new guidance.

Seán Ó Fearghaíl (Kildare South, Ceann Comhairle)
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I thank the Minister of State for that good news.

Neale Richmond (Dublin Rathdown, Fine Gael)
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I thank the Minister of State for her reply and her empathy. When things are written in black and white they can seem so stark, particularly during a stressful time. It will be of some relief to so many couples and people that the Minister of State and her colleagues understand. I pay tribute to all our maternity hospitals for their work in keeping the virus out and being so supportive during this difficult time.

I have a real difficulty with the term "reducing footfall". Birth partners should not be considered footfall because they are much more important than that. A Deputy, whose wife is expecting their fourth child in the coming weeks, made the point that his wife would see him as her voice through the whole process, not just during the birth but during the appointments, tough scans and postnatal care. I have spoken often of postnatal depression. Something a psychiatrist tells a new mother might not be remembered. Access post birth is only being allowed to neonatal ICU visits.

I do not want to personalise this but sometimes personalising issues makes it easier to get a message across. For the first five days of my daughter's life, I only saw her through FaceTime. I could not visit the hospital. I do not think that is right. It is not right that women who have gone through a traumatic birth then go through the immediate recovery on their own. I ask the Minister of State to bring this issue back to her officials and through the maternity services. It is not only about the minutes and hours - sometimes many hours - of labour but also the appointments beforehand and the time afterwards. A mother should be accompanied at those times, whether by the baby's father, her partner, wife or mother. No woman should have to go through this alone. We are fighting a vicious global pandemic but we need to get that point across.

Anne Rabbitte (Galway East, Fianna Fail)
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Perhaps we can discuss this issue with the Minister for Health. The introduction of pods and bubbles this week was very welcome. Maybe we can discuss with the hospitals if they are open to the idea of having bubbles or pods. It is important, however, that my message is clear tonight and I do not want to confuse it. These decisions are not taken lightly and hospital front-line staff and management are acutely aware that it is very important that mothers are supported by their partners at the time of the birth. It is important that we continue to do everything in our power to protect mothers, babies and staff in our maternity hospitals. However, we must not forget that the virus is still prevalent in our communities and we must remain vigilant at all times.

The HSE has said it is hopeful that the new guidance it has issued and the commitment of maternity services to its implementation would help address the very significant concerns of expectant mums and dads across the country. I will convey the Deputy's concerns to the Minister.