Billy Kelleher (Cork North Central, Fianna Fail)
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151. To ask the Minister for Health the estimated full year cost of implementing the national maternity strategy. [29355/17]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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Ireland's first National Maternity Strategy - Creating A Better Future Together 2016 - 2026 - will be implemented on a phased basis led by the National Women & Infants Health Programme. The Programme is currently drawing up a detailed action plan to inform this process; this work is expected to be completed by the end of this month and includes the identification of both capital and revenue funding requirements, which will in turn inform the annual Estimates process over the lifetime of the Strategy.

€3 million development funding provided for maternity services in 2016 was allocated in line with the Strategy, and included funding for additional staff, including 100 midwives, the development of specialist bereavement teams and for the implementation of the Maternal and Newborn Clinical Management System. Increased funding of €6.8m has been provided for maternity services in 2017 which will allow for the continued implementation of the Strategy.