Holly Cairns (Cork South West, Social Democrats)
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276. To ask the Minister for Health if his Department or the HSE responded to the call by an association (details supplied) in March 2020 to examine and assess the amount of antenatal care that can be provided by midwives antenatally in community halls, centres and hotels or in the home; if so, if the result of the assessment will be provided; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26227/20]

Holly Cairns (Cork South West, Social Democrats)
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277. To ask the Minister for Health the way in which his Department or the HSE responded to the call by an association (details supplied) in March 2020 to invoke the use of self-employed midwives to provide continuing care to women in labour that may require transfer in from hospital instead of continuing with a home birth as their case midwife; if by issuing honorary contracts or not in view of the fact many midwives already provide services subcontracted by the HSE; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26228/20]

Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 276 and 277 together.

As the correspondence referred to relates to operational issues, I have asked the Health Service Executive to reply to the Deputy directly as soon as possible.