Irish patients felt in a minority

IRISH patients were going to other maternity hospitals instead of the Rotunda in Dublin less than two years ago because the mothers felt they would be in a minority compared to African patients, according to a leading consultant.

Concerned about the safety of pregnant women, both Irish and non-national, consultant obstetrician and gynaecologist Paul Byrne wrote to Micheál Martin in 2002 to alert him to the worsening situation caused by so-called citizenship tourists and their impact on hospital services.

The influx of non-nationals was putting increasing pressure on an already underfunded and understaffed hospital, resulting in staff morale being reduced and local patients going to other hospitals.