Margaret Cox (Fianna Fail)

Will the Leader, in the context of the need for continuous improvement of our maternity services, ask the Minister for Health and Children to come before the House to debate the issue of securing additional funding for health boards to allow them to continue or to introduce the home birth and domino birth schemes in their areas? A difficult decision was recently made by the Western Health Board to transfer funding from one scheme – the home birth scheme – to fund the important post of a neonatologist. I would like the Minister to come before the House to hear statements on this issue. If we could find additional ring-fenced funding, we could introduce these schemes on a nationwide basis nationwide and ensure that women would have a choice.