Lack Of Maternity Services In Naas General Hospital A "Big Struggle" For Families

Kildare women have been travelling to Dublin for Maternity Care

The lack of maternity care at Naas General Hospital has been described as a "really big struggle" for families.

Maternity services stopped in the Kildare hospital during the pandemic, but are yet to return.

As many as 200 women are forced to travel to Dublin for appointments every month.

Kilcullen resident Darina Walsh who doesn't drive,  said it was very tough for her to get to appointments during her pregnancy.

Darina had to rely on her grandfather to give her a lift to medical appointments. 

Planning the trips was especially complex because two of her children are autistic and one is non-verbal. 

Darina feels the return of the Naas clinic would be the right decision for everyone, and she is not the only woman in the county to think so. 

Majella Hogan lives in Coill Dubh, she just had her sixth child seven months ago and found the trips to Dublin highly inconvenient. 

The women can't understand why the clinic hasn't reopened in Naas, when all of the pandemic restrictions have been lifted.

Bob Quinn, lives in Naas, his wife availed of the maternity services in Naas on his first two children and on his third child the services were stopped.

Mr Quinn echoed the calls from the two women, that maternity services should be reinstated in Naas as a matter of urgency for the women of Kildare.

Mr Quinn is also an active member of the the Green Party, he has suggested that a mobile unit may the answer to the current issues.

The issue was also raised by Green Party Senator Vincent P. Martin in the Seanad, where he raised concerns about the lack of consultation before the clinic was closed.

In response to Senator Martin, The Minister for Health Stephen Donnelly commented: "In April 2020, the Coombe Hospital transferred its antenatal clinics from Naas General Hospital (NGH) to the Coombe Hospital, in the context of risk mitigation measures undertaken by NGH in response to its spatial challenges arising from the ongoing pandemic.

"Subsequent to this, temporary accommodation was found for a midwifery-led clinics in Newbridge; and lately in Celbridge, these clinics are fully supported by a consultant clinic at the Coombe Hospital.

"The Coombe Hospital and the HSE are continuing to assess appropriate accommodation options for outreach consultant services in this catchment area," she added.

Senator Vincent P Martin, Majella Hogan, Darina Walsh, and Bob Quinn, Cllr. Peggy O'Dwyer :