Maternity Services

Thursday, 27 June 2019

Questions (152, 153, 154)

Louise O'Reilly

Question:

152. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Health the estimated additional cost of implementing the national maternity strategy in full. [27262/19]

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153. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Health the estimated additional cost of ensuring each maternity hospital has access to foetal anomaly screening, including a breakdown in terms of equipment and staff. [27263/19]

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Louise O'Reilly

Question:

154. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Health the estimated additional cost of ensuring all maternity hospitals meet the birthrate plus standard for midwifery staffing. [27264/19]

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Written answers

Minister for Health

I propose to take Questions Nos. 152 to 154, inclusive, together.

The National Women and Infants Health Programme in the HSE is leading on the implementation of the National Maternity Strategy. As such, the Programme has developed a detailed Implementation Plan which will see the National Maternity Strategy implemented on a phased basis over the lifetime of the Strategy. The Implementation Plan is presented under the Strategy's four strategic priorities and details how each of the 77 actions will be implemented. The funding requirement for the Strategy will vary from year to year and the Implementation Plan will inform the annual estimates process.

Given that the Deputy’s specific queries relate to the implementation of the Strategy and the associated cost, I have asked the HSE to reply to the Deputy directly.