Billy Kelleher (Cork North Central, Fianna Fail)
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647. To ask the Minister for Health to provide an update on the national maternitystrategy; the total funding that is to be provided for the strategy; the funding being provided in 2016; and the outputs and services being provided by the funding being provided in 2016. [24075/16]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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The National Maternity Strategy 2016 - 2026 - Creating a Better Future Together - was published in January 2016 and sets out the vision for the future of Ireland's maternity services. The Strategy recommends that services should be woman-centred and provide integrated, team-based care, with women seeing the most appropriate professional, based on their need. A choice of care pathway will be provided and women will be helped to make an informed decision around their care pathway.

A National Women & Infants Health Programme is being established to lead the management, organisation and delivery of maternity, gynaecological and neonatal services by bringing together work that is currently undertaken across a number of HSE divisions. The Programme will develop a detailed Strategy implementation plan and timetable. Progress on the implementation of the Strategy will form part of the normal performance dialogue between the Department and the HSE and the Programme will submit an annual report to me which will be published.

The Strategy will give rise to both capital and revenue costs over the ten years 2017-2026. €3 million development funding has been provided for maternity services in the 2016 Service Plan; this funding will be allocated in line with the Strategy and includes the establishment of the National Women & Infants Health Programme and maternity networks, appointment of additional staff, development of specialist bereavement teams and implementation of the Maternal and Newborn Clinical Management System. It will be necessary for the Programme to examine the ongoing capital and revenue requirements at network and hospital level, and this work will inform the annual Estimates process.