3286. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Health the position regarding any engagement she had with maternity hospitals in relation to the phasing out of private maternity care; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [55631/26]

The Minister expects all hospitals and all consultants to be fully compliant with the terms of the Public Only Consultant contract (POCC). POCC holders are not permitted to engage in private practice in public hospitals. This position is unequivocal: there are no exemptions, side arrangements or deviations from the terms of the contract.

A key objective of the POCC is to support equitable access to high-quality care, including maternity care, based on clinical need and not ability to pay. Consistent implementation across all hospitals is central to that aim. Where deviations have been identified, as occurred in the Rotunda Hospital, the Minister has been clear that the HSE must take immediate action to ensure full compliance. The Board of Governors of the Rotunda has accepted that the arrangements which allowed POCC consultants to undertake private activity in the hospital were wrong. The Board has confirmed that this practice has now ceased and that all POCC consultants are working in compliance with their contract.

At the Joint Oireachtas Health Committee on 1 July 2026, the Master of the Rotunda also apologised for and withdrew previous comments suggesting that women and babies received safer care by choosing private care. That clarification is welcome. It is important that women and families can have full confidence that all maternity hospitals provide excellent, high-quality and safe care, whether care is provided publicly or privately. The focus now must be on continuing to deliver the best possible care for all women and babies, while implementing reforms that strengthen the public health service for everyone.