The lives of mothers and infants are being put at risk because of staff shortages and inadequate facilities at our maternity hospitals. What should be a time of joy and celebration for families may be blighted as a result of funding deficiencies and official inaction.
It is an appalling situation. Unless these shortcomings are addressed as a matter of urgency, the situation will worsen as our population continues to expand.
The Government cannot claim it didn't know about this developing crisis. After all, it introduced and fought a constitutional referendum based on the pressures three Dublin maternity hospitals were being subjected to by non-EU mothers in 2004. But, having won that plebiscite and removed a right to citizenship for all children born here, it seems to have ignored the reasons given for holding the referendum in the first place.
Expressing concern to then minister for health Micheál Martin about pressure on Dublin maternity hospitals caused by a rising number of births, the medical people in charge sought increases in staff and funding and raised the prospect of building a new maternity facility in the capital to cope with growing numbers. They got a referendum. Four years later, the Government cannot wash its hands of the issue and say the problem is one for the Health Service Executive (HSE) to resolve.
The Master of the Coombe Maternity Hospital, Chris Fitzpatrick, has talked about his concerns in relation to infection control and has indicated that a shortage of doctors, midwives and support staff could have bad outcomes for patient care in the future. In seeking capital investment, he said all three Dublin hospitals were under similar pressures. And while the HSE has committed to providing some additional supports in terms of manpower, revenue and capital development, that may not be sufficient to cope with growing patient numbers.
Wealth creation and a vibrant economy attracted both Irish emigrants and foreign workers from abroad. In recent years, the population has grown by about two per cent per annum. And it should come as no surprise that the birth rate has been rising by roughly the same amount. Rather than plan and prepare for the demands inherent in that situation, the Government - as with the provision of new primary schools - has been marking time. That is not good enough. Policy formation and political oversight is the responsibility of Ministers; implementation of decisions is the duty of public servants. A shortage of staff and facilities within the maternity care system is threatening the welfare of patients. The Government has a direct responsibility.