It will take at least another two years before ultrasound scans to pick up on foetal anomalies are available to all pregnant women in Ireland — and that’s only if funding is provided to hire one extra sonographer every fortnight.

LATEST:A Government TD has broken ranks to call on Health Minister Simon Harris to consider buying the €300m land on which the new National Maternity Hospital will be built in a bid to end the escalating scandal.

MATERNITY hospitals in the south may refuse to carry out blood tests and ultrasound scans on pregnant women who are cared for by independent midwives.