Minister for Health Stephen Donnelly has announced €2 million in new development funding for the National Maternity Strategy in 2025. The full-year cost in 2026 will be €4 million.
The new funding under Budget 2025 will provide for:
- 47 additional full-time specialist staff to increase national coverage of new genetics and postnatal support services, as well as to drive improvements in maternity research and clinical practice.
- €0.9 million to open four new postnatal hubs, to provide more women with access to postnatal care in the community.
- €0.5 million for additional specialist midwives.
- €0.3 million to recruit five additional genetic counsellors, and three supporting staff, to expand the new national perinatal genomics service.
- €0.3 million to drive improvements in maternity services through research, audit and new clinical guidelines.
Minister Donnelly said: “Improving women’s healthcare is a priority for me and for this Government. I am determined that Budget 2025 funding will build on the significant progress already made to date in the development and improvement of maternity services for women, babies and families.
“Since the launch of the National Maternity Strategy in 2016, our maternity services have undergone significant reform, including the recruitment of over 500 additional full-time staff, implementation of a new model of care, the establishment of six maternity networks and a national home birth service as well as specialist supports including bereavement teams and lactation specialists in all maternity services.
“The National Maternity Experience Survey has shown us that improving postnatal care in the community is a priority for women. That is why, since 2022, I have directed significant investment into the establishment of a national network of postnatal hubs that provide essential care for women in the community in the weeks after birth. Budget 2025 will provide an additional four hubs, bringing the national network to 13. I know from women who have attended this service how much they value the additional support, including hotlines, birth reflections, and physiotherapy.
“Budget 2025 funding will also provide for the delivery of our national perinatal genomics service, funding five additional genetic counsellors in order to improve women’s access to critical genetic testing and support.
“These improvements are part of an ongoing evolution in the provision of women’s healthcare in Ireland and I am committed to continuing this work to drive further reforms.”
Director of the HSE’s National Women and Infants Health Programme, Mr Kilian McGrane, described the funding as “very welcome additional investment for the implementation of the National Maternity Strategy”
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