Maureen O'Sullivan (Dublin Central, Independent)
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707. To ask the Minister for Health the current location of the medical records from a nursing home (details supplied) in Dublin 2, including the birth registers, maternity theatre registers and patient charts; if he will specify the type of records held ​relating to maternity and obstetric services, in ​each of the years from 19​51 until its closure, under arrangements pursuant to maternity services legislation [29222/15]

Maureen O'Sullivan (Dublin Central, Independent)
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708. To ask the Minister for Health the current location of the medical records, including the birth registers, maternity ​theatre registers and patient charts, specifying the type of records held, ​​relating to maternity and obstetric services formerly provided at ​the nursing home(details supplied) in Dublin 2, in ​each of the years from 19​50 until its closure, under arrangements pursuant to maternity services legislation. [29223/15]

Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 707 and 708 together.

In accordance with the Registration of Maternity Homes Act, 1934, local authorities, as defined under the Act, were the registration authority for maternity homes. Records which were required to be kept at maternity homes included:

- (a) every reception into such home;

- (b) every discharge from such home;

- (c) every confinement therein;

- (d) every miscarriage therein;

- (e) every birth therein;

- (f) every death therein;

- (g) every removal of a child therefrom and of the name of the person by whom and the address to which such child is removed.

Over the years responsibility for the registration and inspection of such maternity homes transferred to the Health Boards and subsequently to the HSE. To help with this matter I have passed your query to the HSE for direct reply, but given the passage of time, I am not sure if all records relating to the nursing homes in question still exist. I am aware that some historic maternity records are held by the National Archives so it might also be worth addressing your query to that Office.