Maureen O'Sullivan (Dublin Central, Independent)
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347. To ask the Minister for Health his policy regarding the issue of pregnant women who opt for home births and the midwives who attend them; the way his policy is communicated to the Health Service Executive and the subsequent HSE policy on this matter; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37880/14]

Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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It is the policy to respect an individual's choice in childbirth and their right to have a home birth. Currently in Ireland there is a National Domiciliary Midwifery service available to eligible expectant mothers who wish to avail of a home birth service under the care of a self-employed community midwife.

This service is provided by the self-employed community midwife on behalf of the Health Service Executive who signs a Memorandum of Understanding with the Health Service Executive. Each self-employed community midwife who agrees to be bound by the terms of this Memorandum of Understanding, is covered by the Clinical Indemnity Scheme, operated by the State Claims Agency for clinical negligence or medical malpractice arising from the provision of community midwifery services.

The criteria for eligibility for the home birth service provided by the self-employed community midwives on behalf of the Health Service Executive were drafted by a group of experts including midwives and obstetricians. The latest Memorandum of Understanding came into operation on 1st March 2014.