Vol. 430 No. 2
38 Mrs. T. Ahearn asked the Minister for Health his views on the recommendation of the Second Commission on the Status of Women that separate accommodation should be provided in maternity hospitals for women who have had miscarriages or stillbirths.
49 Mr. J. Bruton asked the Minister for Health his views on the recommendation of the Second Commission on the Status of Women that separate accommodation should be provided in maternity hospitals for women who have had miscarriages or stillbirths.
50 Mr. L. Burke asked the Minister for Health his views on the recommendation of the Second Commission on the Status of Women that separate accommodation should be provided in maternity hospitals for women who have had miscarriages or stillbirths.
69 Mr. Crawford asked the Minister for Health his views on the recommendation of the Second Commission on the Status of Women that separate accommodation should be provided in maternity hospitals for women who have had miscarriages or stillbirths.
85 Mr. Bradford asked the Minister for Health his views on the recommendation of the Second Commission on the Status of Women that separate accommodation should be provided in maternity hospitals for women who have had miscarriages or stillbirths.
93 Mr. Boylan asked the Minister for Health his views on the recommendation of the Second Commission on the Status of Women that separate accommodation should be provided in maternity hospitals for women who have had miscarriages or stillbirths.
99 Mr. Crowley asked the Minister for Health his views on the recommendation of the Second Commission on the Status of Women that separate accommodation should be provided in maternity hospitals for women who have had miscarriages or stillbirths.
I propose to take Questions Nos. 38, 49, 50, 69, 85, 93 and 99 together.
I fully support the recommendations of the Second Commission on the Status of Women in this matter. My Department has been in contact with maternity hospitals and, in general, where women have miscarriages or stillbirths, maternity hospitals have reported that every effort is made to ensure that separate accommodation is provided for those patients for the duration of their stay in hospital. The accommodation provided ranges from a specific ward provided for this purpose to the placing of patients in gynaecology or ante-natal wards which are, of course, separate from post-natal wards with mothers and babies. Single room accommodation may also be provided, where possible.
I would also like to mention that counselling is generally made available to these patients, which is also in line with the recommendations of the Second Commission of the Status of Women.
