Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Wednesday, 27 Jan 1999

Vol. 499 No. 1

Written Answers. - Home Births Report.

Monica Barnes

Ceist:

123 Mrs. Barnes asked the Minister for Health and Children if he will publish a report, Women and Birth, a national study of intentional home birth in Ireland commissioned by his Department; and the reason the study has not been published. [1379/99]

Alan Shatter

Ceist:

615 Mr. Shatter asked the Minister for Health and Children if he will publish a report, Women and Birth, a national study of intentional home birth in Ireland commissioned by his Department; and the reason the study has not been published. [1997/99]

Minister for Health and Children (Mr. Cowen)

I propose to take Questions Nos. 123 and 615 together.

This report was conducted under the aegis of the Coombe Women's Hospital and funded by the Department of Health. The study commenced in 1986 and was completed in 1992; it relates to the five year period 1981-1985. In view of the time which had elapsed between the commencement of the study and its completion it was decided not to publish the report.

The report was, however, made available to the maternity and infant care scheme review group which considered,inter alia, the question of domiciliary births. In its report, which was circulated in 1997, the review group made recommendations in relation to domiciliary births. Funding has been provided in 1999 for the piloting of a number of the approaches suggested.