A couple's plans for the birth of their third child were thrown into question when they learned their local hospital forbade the presence of fathers at Caesarean deliveries.
The hospital Mrs Marie O'Connell has attended for her antenatal visits, Tralee General Hospital, some 40 miles from her home at Killaha West, has scheduled the birth by Caesarean section for November 2nd. But it has refused permission for her husband, John, to attend.
Mr O'Connell has been present at the births of the couple's other children, Ciaran (5), in Canada, and Rory (3), in Holles Street, Dublin. Both children were born by Caesarean section.
"There was never any question about my not being present at the births in the other hospitals. But here we are not being given any choice. It is so maddening because this is our local hospital," Mr O'Connell said.
Sitting beside his wife and holding her hand, "isn't going to interfere with anybody", he added.
And it's not as if he is not shielded from the operation and there is any chance he is going to fade away suddenly in front of the staff and make a nuisance of himself. A screen is mounted over the lower part of his wife's body, Mr O'Connell said.
In a statement yesterday, the Southern Health Board said one of the hospital's general operating theatres is used for Caesareans and it is "inappropriate for anyone other than the medical and nursing staff to be present in the operating theatre during an operation".
The statement says they are now looking at the issue of partners attending Caesareans in the hospital.
The Irish Childbirth Trust points out that it is extremely rare for a father to be refused permission to attend the birth of his child, especially in the case of an elective Caesarean where no general anaesthetic is involved.
The health board review is unlikely to be carried out in time for the birth of the O'Connells' baby, according to a Southern Health Board member and county councillor, Mr Michael Healy-Rae. He has been lobbying hospital management on behalf of the couple.