The CEO of the HSE, the Minister for Health and many other Ministers have said they want the current restrictions on partners visiting maternity hospitals lifted. I wrote to my hospital in south Tipperary, which is an excellent hospital with excellent maternity and neonatal wards. All my children and my eight grandchildren were born there. The letter I received from the hospital stated that it would examine this issue and might make some small changes. Why is there is such dysfunction and such an unlevel playing field? It is accepted that it is hugely important for expectant mothers to have their partners, siblings or somebody with them in that situation, whether the news is bad or good. Hospitals throughout the country are making different decisions. It is time they were instructed. Are they all little independent republics that can do what they like? It is not fair on people. We need consistency throughout the maternity hospitals on visiting for partners who are trying to help during this occasion.

I appreciate this is an ongoing issue causing much distress to mothers and their partners. The national guidance is that partners should be able to attend the birth of their child and the 20-week scan, and should have full access to the neonatal ICU if there are any problems after birth and their child has to be there. It is still possible for hospitals at local level, for their own reasons, to introduce tighter restrictions, but they have to explain why they are doing that. It is not good enough for them to say they are independent republics doing their own thing. If they are not adhering to the national guidance, they need to explain why. Is it because there is an outbreak in the hospital? Is there a good reason they are not adhering to the national guidance, which is that partners should be allowed attend the birth of their child, the 20-week scan appointment and neonatal ICU?