Maternity hospital restrictions
Deputy Cairns says restrictions in maternity hospitals are still causing distress to women and families. The Tánaiste sympathises, says the issue has had considerable attention, and indicates that with high vaccination rates partners should return to maternity appointments.
On the last day of the previous Dáil term, I asked the Tánaiste about the ongoing restrictions in maternity hospitals. He stated:
this really ought not be a problem anymore. Certainly, by the time we return after the summer recess, ... Let us try to get this sorted over the next couple of weeks.
Unfortunately, we are back but many of the restrictions are still in place. Last night, Better Maternity Care had a meeting where women shared stories of distress, fear and anger as they were forced to endure labour and caring for their newborn alone. This was compounded by "The Rotunda" television series which was permitted to film in the hospitals when partners were banned from them. This has been going on for so long that some women are about to have their second babies in these disgraceful conditions. When NPHET advised the Government that indoor dining could not proceed as planned on 5 July, the Minister held continuous high-level meetings, with late nights and weekends for the Attorney General's staff, and rapidly published new legislation. There was no evidence of the same level of attention on 10 May when NPHET stated there was no good reason, in public health terms, maternity restrictions continued to be in place.
Comment on this
It is high time the Government gave this issue the same attention. Will the Tánaiste please do that?
Comment on this
In fairness, the Minister and the Government have given this issue much of our attention. It is an issue that continues to come through my constituency office. It probably comes through the Deputy's office too. I sympathise with the lived experience of people who have to sit in a car park when they should be at the side of their partner being scanned, attending an appointment or giving birth to a child.
As matters stand, as the Deputy will be aware, 90% of adults are now fully vaccinated in Ireland, which is an enormous achievement by us as a society. In that situation, I certainly do not believe it should be necessary for hospitals to ban partners from attending maternity appointments - that is the view of Government and of the HSE - but I will stand over and vindicate the right of the doctors and nurses on the ground to make exceptions because every hospital has a senior nurse in charge of infection control and a senior doctor in charge of infection control and I would be reluctant to overrule them.