PLRG representatives attend Joint Committee on Health to discuss the National Maternity Strategy

21 Feb 2026

Professor Keelin O’Donoghue and Marita Hennessy PhD attended a meeting of the Joint Committee on Health in Leinster House on 18 February which considered issues relating to the National Maternity Strategy 2016-2026, including progress in its implementation. Féileacáin (represented by Mairie Cregan, co-founder, and Anne-Marie Farrell) and the Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation (represented by Tony Fitzpatrick, Director of Professional Services, and Aisling Dixon, Advanced Midwife Practitioner) also provided evidence to the Committee during the session.

In her opening statement, on behalf of the Pregnancy Loss Research Group, Professor O’Donoghue highlighted that while there have been many positive developments since publication of the National Maternity Strategy and the National Standards for Bereavement Care following Pregnancy Loss and Perinatal Death, there is work to be done to sustain these and also further implement recommendations in key areas. She added that there is also an opportunity in the next Strategy, to sustain and scale-up improvements, enhance early pregnancy and pregnancy after loss care, and implement targeted measures to end preventable baby deaths.

More information

The full recording of the session is available to view on the Oireachtas website: https://www.oireachtas.ie/en/oireachtas-tv/video-archive/committees/11254.

Opening statements are also available on the Oireachtas website:

• Opening statement, Prof. Keelin O’Donoghue, Pregnancy Loss Research Group
• Opening statement, Mairie Cregan, co-founder, Féileacáin
• Opening statement, Tony Fitzpatrick, Director of Professional Services, Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation.