asked the Minister for Health if he intends phasing out small maternity hospitals and units in favour of concentrating births in larger units catering for 1,500 to 2,000 births per year with sophisticated equipment and adequate back-up staff.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Maternity Hospital.
8.
I presume that the scale of obstetrical units referred to by the Deputy relates to the recommendations by Comhairle na nOspidéal in its discussion documents on the development of hospital maternity and paediatric services published in 1976 and 1979 respectively.
While I accept these recommendations regarding the scale of units as a general principle, I would not agree that they should be the sole criterion in deciding on the future of smaller maternity units. Social factors such as tradition, convenience for mothers and visiting relatives, local travel conditions and so on may have to be weighed with medical considerations in taking such decisions. In any event the phasing out of a maternity unit would be a matter for the hospital authority, generally the local health board in the first instance.