Taoiseach hits out at top doctor’s comments

Enda Kenny has launched a personal attack on a senior doctor who spoke out against cuts to maternity services.

The Taoiseach branded comments by Dr Gerry Burke, consultant obstetrician at Mid-Western Regional Maternity Hospital in Limerick, as “outrageous”.

The Dáil attack followed warnings by Dr Burke that mothers and babies were being put at risk by the Government’s fast-track retirement scheme, which he said will see almost one quarter of Limerick maternity hospital’s 200 midwives leaving the HSE.

“The comments made by Dr Burke were outrageous. It was beyond the norm for a medical person of his stature to equate the process of staff legitimately leaving the health service under the programme with an attack — in the context of paying back money to German banks — on babies and pregnant mothers,” Mr Kenny told TDs.

Fianna Fáil frontbencher and Limerick TD Willie O’Dea sought assurances that patients in the Mid-West were still safe despite the cuts.

Mr O’Dea, who tried to use the row to provoke tensions in the Coalition by pointing out Dr Burke is chairman of the Limerick City Labour Party, expressed alarm at the number of people retiring ahead of the Government’s February cut-off point for public servants to receive a boosted pension.

Referring to Dr Burke’s warnings, Mr O’Dea said: “No plans to deal with the shortfall have been presented by the HSE or the Department of Health. The shortfall of over 20% of midwifery staff will diminish the quality of maternity care these women and babies receive.

“Dr Burke went on to state some of the women and babies to whom he had referred would pay with their lives. That is a serious assertion to make.

“Does the Taoiseach feel any sense of responsibility towards those who are suffering anxiety as a result of the cutbacks in maternity services? Is he aware that this is a matter of life and death?” Mr O’Dea asked the Taoiseach in the Dáil.

Tánaiste Eamon Gilmore said he could not comment on the remarks by either Mr Kenny or Dr Burke as he had not heard them, but insisted there were no rifts in the Coalition on the matter.

Health Minister James Reilly insisted it was still not clear exactly how many midwives would go as a result of the fast-track retirement programme.