Clare Daly (Dublin North, United Left)
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110. To ask the Minister for Health in view of his undertaking to the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Health and Children that there will be a consultation process as part of an overall national review of maternity services here, with special reference to best evidence international models, the reason he is permitting the Office of Nursing and Midwifery Services in the Health Service Executive to produce a second version of its memorandum of understanding, with extremely restrictive criteria governing the practice of the few available self-employed midwives, limiting options for women seeking a home birth, and unconnected with best evidence international models, before the overall review of all aspects of the maternity services is even undertaken [42781/14]

Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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I will answer the first part of the question put down by the Deputy. As the second issue raised is an operational matter, I have forwarded it to the HSE for direct reply. If you have not received a reply from the HSE within 15 working days please contact my Private Office and they will follow up the matter with them.

A National Maternity Strategy is being developed by my Department in conjunction with the HSE. A literature review, which was commissioned by the Department, is informing the development of a maternity service policy paper. Following the finalisation of the policy paper a working group will be established with a view to completing the Strategy. This will include a consultation process with all stakeholders including mothers/mothers-to-be in order to create the best Maternity service in Ireland for the future.