Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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To ask the Minister for Health if he will confirm that commercial insurance is not available for private midwives here; if due to the implementation of EU Directives for all healthcare workers to have insurance by 2013 that it will be illegal for midwives to provide breast-feeding support in the community if they are not Health Service Executive employees; the efforts he is making to resolve this situation; if he will confirm that obstetricians in Mount Carmel, Dublin 14, provide care through a private enterprise access professional indemnity insurance through the HSE; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45381/12]

James Reilly (Dublin North, Fine Gael)
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The State provides indemnity through the Clinical Indemnity Scheme in respect of the clinical activities of public health doctors, nurses, community midwives and other community based clinical staff providing services on behalf of the HSE. This cover includes HSE midwifery led community schemes and voluntary hospital maternity services.

The availability of indemnity/insurance cover in the commercial market is solely a matter for the commercial companies concerned. All private hospitals must purchase indemnity on the commercial market to cover the services provided. However, adequate indemnity in relation to the Mount Carmel obstetric services is not available in the commercial market. Accordingly an agreement is in place with Mount Carmel Hospital to supplement the cover purchased by the hospital in relation to its obstetric services. Mount Carmel is the only private obstetric unit in the country.

In relation to breastfeeding support, the HSE currently provides support to breastfeeding women through the Public Health Nursing Service as well as through Community midwives operating the early transfer home community services in Dublin and other areas around the country for postnatal women. Voluntary breastfeeding organisations such as Cuidiu and La Leche League also provide breastfeeding support in the community through trained breastfeeding counsellors and leaders and they generally do not hold a midwifery or nursing qualification.