Willie Penrose (Westmeath, Labour)
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Question 67: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children if, in view of the increasing numbers of caesareans here, a full review is to be considered by her Department with direct reference to current obstetric practices employed in all maternity hospitals here; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21316/06]

Mary Harney (Dublin Mid West, Progressive Democrats)
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In recent years, there has been an increase in the number of births by caesarean section in Ireland. Approximately one in five births are now performed through this procedure.

The decision to perform a caesarean section is a clinical one that is taken by qualified medical practitioners. Reasons suggested for the increasing caesarean rates include more widespread availability of foetal monitoring with subsequent earlier surgical intervention and greater patient awareness and demand.

At the request of the Chief Medical Officer of my Department, the Institute of Obstetrics and Gynaecologists considered the increase in rates in this country. In their view, there is unlikely to be a single cause responsible. However, it is suggested that better and more comprehensive data would allow the issue to be considered in greater depth.

In March 2006, I announced the establishment of a new National Perinatal Epidemiology Centre in Cork University Hospital that will be up and running in the Autumn of this year, with annual funding of €630,000. Every time a mother gives birth in this country, the important interventions, including caesarean sections, the good outcomes and the complications will be recorded and analysed at the centre.