Vincent P Martin (Green Party) | Oireachtas source

We also commend and are grateful to the hard-working staff in the Coombe but there is an avoidable, unnecessary situation. With respect, there is no comfort in the Minister of State's reply so the campaign will go on. I urge the Minister of State to use his ministerial influence to give us this assurance. He gets it. He is a dad of young children. He knows this is unnecessary. He knows that the Celbridge and Newbridge services, while good, are midwife-led, although they are supported by consultants in the Coombe. That is an entirely different thing from the consultant-led service which existed for years, efficiently and well-utilised, in Naas General Hospital until it was removed. There is no evidence of any consultation, so until I hear otherwise, it is totally unsatisfactory. I and the people of Kildare will ratchet up our campaign in the coming weeks to ensure we get back that service. It is a sustainable, safe and proper service that, in an unjustified way, was taken from the people of Kildare.