Jillian van Turnhout (Independent)

I welcome the Minister of State to the House. I also thank my Labour Party colleagues for providing the opportunity to Members of Seanad Éireann to make statements on the scandalous medical malpractice of symphysiotomy, which was performed in Ireland at least 1,500 times between 1944 and 1992. I also extend the warmest of welcomes to the survivors of symphysiotomy who are present today in the Visitors Gallery and elsewhere in Leinster House. I commend the dignity, bravery and honesty they have shown in sharing their personal traumas with Members during a number of Oireachtas briefing and information sessions. I thank them for opening Members' eyes to the at best utterly inappropriate and at worst barbaric treatment they suffered at the hands of trained medical professionals in Irish hospitals.

I followed the statements on symphysiotomy in the Dáil last March with great interest and I agree with the comment by the Minister, Deputy Reilly, which was echoed today by the Minister of State, that we should be proud that Ireland is recognised internationally as a leader in the field of obstetrics. We also should be proud that with only one maternal death per 100,000 live births, Ireland has one of the lowest maternal mortality ratios in the world. However, as is evident from the statements being made today, Ireland has a far from unblemished record in the area of maternal health care. Between 1920 and as recently as 1992, many women suffered serious maternal morbidities under the care of trained medical practitioners in Irish hospitals. Maternal morbidity is defined as an illness or disability in women caused directly or indirectly by factors relating to pregnancy, childbirth or the post delivery period. The vast majority of maternal morbidities are preventable and as such, their prevalence constitutes a serious violation of women's fundamental rights to life, liberty and security, as well as to health, dignity and freedom from cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment.

In common with many others, I am extremely frustrated by the delay in the publication of the report into the practice of symphysiotomy in Ireland. Extremely serious concerns must be addressed for the survivors to receive the acknowledgement, truth and justice they deserve. Chief among them is the contention by the Institute of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists in Ireland, upon which it appears the Department of Health is content to rely, that the practice of symphysiotomy was carried out due to medical necessity and only until consensus regarding caesarean section changed and it was deemed safe. It is my hope that in carrying out a critical appraisal of international reviews of symphysiotomy practice and associated rates in comparable countries in the world, as well as an examination of the Irish experience relative to other countries, this report will refute this contention once and for all.