I propose to take Questions Nos. 236, 237, 238 and 239 together.
I and my Department recognise that childbirth is a significant physical and emotional event and that the support of a partner, spouse or chosen support person can play an important role in a woman's postnatal experience. However, visiting arrangements are determined at individual hospital level and may differ between maternity hospitals depending on local circumstances, infrastructure, capacity, patient accommodation and operational requirements.
Many Irish maternity units continue to operate with shared postnatal wards where a number of women and their newborn babies are accommodated together. In these settings, hospitals must balance the wishes of individual patients with the privacy, dignity, rest and safety needs of all women and infants on the ward. Infection prevention and control measures, security, safeguarding requirements, ward capacity, emergency access and the management of overnight clinical care must also be considered when determining visiting policies.
In many maternity hospitals, where babies are born during the night, partners may be permitted to remain for a period following the birth to support the mother and baby before leaving in line with local arrangements. These arrangements can differ between hospitals and may also depend on individual clinical circumstances.
Where a woman experiences pregnancy loss, dedicated bereavement care arrangements are available. All maternity units have designated bereavement facilities to ensure women receive care in a private, respectful and supportive environment. Many of these rooms include accommodation that can facilitate an overnight stay for a partner or chosen support person where appropriate.
Women are not left without support following childbirth. Postnatal wards are staffed by midwives, nurses, healthcare assistants and medical teams who provide support with recovery after birth, pain management, mobility, feeding, infant care, emotional wellbeing and any clinical concerns that may arise during a woman's hospital stay.
The HSE has also made significant investment in enhancing postnatal services through a range of family-centred supports, including the continued development of postnatal support services and postnatal hubs. These services provide follow-up care, breastfeeding support, clinical review and ongoing assistance to women and their families following discharge from hospital.
Ireland's maternity services are guided by a family-centred model of care that recognises the important role of partners and support persons during pregnancy, birth and the postnatal period. While maternity hospitals strive to facilitate partner involvement wherever possible, the physical infrastructure of many existing facilities does not currently allow for routine overnight accommodation of partners on postnatal wards. Significant capital investment is underway across maternity services, with newer facilities increasingly being designed to better support family-centred care while maintaining privacy, dignity and safety for all patients.
