FF Motion Over Crisis In Maternity Services At Portlaoise To Be Debated

A Fianna Fáil motion over the crisis in maternity services at Portlaoise Hospital is to be debated this week.

The motion condemns the treatment of parents and patients and the deliberate concealment of information. It also demands the immediate implementation of HIQA recommendations to significantly improve patient care and governance structures at the hospital.

Fianna Fáil Spokesperson on Health, Billy Kelleher, said: "The fact that information was deliberately withheld and concealed from bereaved parents is absolutely appalling and totally unacceptable in a modern health service. This is not something that happened decades ago. These are very recent tragedies exposing ongoing risks at Portlaoise Hospita.

"This week, we are asking all members of the Dáil to stand up for these families and for future patients at Portlaoise and demand the immediate implementation of HIQA recommendations to significantly improve patient safety. Many problems highlighted in Portlaoise are due to a lack of adequate funding, staff and resources which the government failed to provide."

(CD)