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Members of the public accused the minister of ‘grandstanding’, ‘bullying’ and ignoring women’s concerns.

JENNIFER CARROLL MACNEILL, the health minister, was inundated with correspondence from members of the public expressing anger and disappointment at the government’s stance on the Rotunda private maternity care controversy.

Women accused the minister of ”grandstanding”, “bullying” and ignoring women’s concerns in correspondence released to The Journal under freedom of information.

Many members of the public accused the minister of removing women’s choice over their care. 

In June, the Rotunda Hospital was in a stand-off with the government and HSE over its decision to allow consultants on public-only contracts to do work for private patients on the grounds of the Rotunda, which is not allowed. 

Carroll MacNeill, speaking on Today with David McCullagh on RTÉ Radio 1, threatened to defund the hospital over its position. In the end, the hospital climbed down, with the board stating that consultants on public-only contracts would no longer treat private patients. 

The volume of correspondence sent to the minister’s office was such that The Journal had to restrict its request for release of anonymised documents by the Department of Health to a period of just three days. Only one of the messages expressed support for the government’s position.

Some of the correspondence was forwarded to the minister’s office after being sent in by members of the public to other politicians, including Tánaiste and Fine Gael leader Simon Harris. The correspondence seen by The Journal suggests the controversy particularly exercised Fine Gael voters.

Three days after the health minister’s interview on RTÉ Radio 1, where defunding the hospital was raised by the minister, one woman accused the minister of “grandstanding” on the issue. 

She said as a woman who used private maternity care, she found the minister’s treatment of women as “scandalous and self-promoting”.

She told the minister she experienced a ”nightmare” in the public system, and found private care a totally different experience.

“Women should always have choice,” said this woman, who concluded her email to the minister by saying: “I am very disappointed in you.” 

In an email to Tánaiste Simon Harris and the health minister, one woman said she was fully behind the Rotunda Hospital board. 

“They are trying to protect the right of women to choose the healthcare relevant to them. I feel utter disappointment in the threats by the minister to stall funding to a critically needed expansion of the Rotunda,” the email stated, with this woman stating that the funding is a wholly separate issue.

She said the threat by the health minister was an “over-the-top judgement call” when she should have engaged in talks with the consultants.

“Women want choice, many of us forgo other things in order to find the money for private healthcare as they have concerns and fears and want extra scans and continuity of care,” this correspondence read. 

Health Minister Jennifer Carroll MacNeill Alamy Stock Photo Alamy Stock Photo

Another woman said she has always given Fine Gael her first or second preference vote during elections.

“It is safe to say that I am a committed Fine Gael supporter,” she said, with this emailer stating that it was out of loyalty that she felt compelled to write to the minister. 

She said the public-only consultant contracts have resulted in the complete elimination of choice in maternity care for all women.

“Every person should have access to the highest standards of healthcare, but every person in Ireland should also have the agency to make informed personal choices about their health.

“Your government has removed that agency from all expectant and future mothers. I find it difficult to imagine a policy outcome of this nature being accepted if it relates to men’s health,” the email read.

This woman said she was living in the Middle East now and was thinking of returning to Ireland to start a family.

“I am struck by the irony that I live in one of the strictest countries on earth for women’s rights yet here, I have the agency to make decisions about the type of maternity care I want,” she said. 

Another email to the minister said she is concerned that the promise of continuity of care in the public maternity system will never be delivered. 

She asked the minister if she realistically could guarantee that continuity of care in the public system will ever be delivered. 

A statement from the HSE and the Department of Health to The Journal regarding what is offered to women in the public system stated that continuity of care is a key objective of the National Maternity Strategy.

However, the HSE said “in practice, there is no guarantee that a woman in the public system will see the same consultant obstetrician or the same individual midwife at every appointment”.

It said that in most instances, women are cared for appropriately by a multidisciplinary team and may see different members of that team over the course of their pregnancy, labour and postnatal care.

In another correspondence to the minister, a woman said she was “deeply disappointed” by Carroll MacNeill’s response to the controversy.

“While I appreciate the need for accountability and compliance with contractual arrangements, I am concerned that the policy direction being pursued risks removing or severely limiting women’s ability to choose private maternity care.

“In Ireland, patients can choose whether to access public or private care for many medical procedures. Yet when it comes to childbirth, one of the most significant, vulnerable, and potentially high-risk events in a woman’s life, the choice to access private care is being revoked,” this email read. 

They noted the minister’s comments regarding the State effectively bearing the insurance risk in maternity care, in light of the very significant payouts that can arise from birth injury claims.

They accepted it was a serious issue, but one the government should solve rather than telling women that they must have fewer choices than patients accessing other forms of healthcare.

“The existence of risk in maternity care is why many women value continuity of consultant-led care so highly,” they said, adding: 

I am particularly disappointed because I voted for you in the last general election.

“It is difficult to understand why, at a time when we rightly speak so often about empowering women and respecting their healthcare decisions, policies are being advanced that could reduce the options available to expectant mothers,” they said. 

The minister also received correspondence from one member of the public who said they didn’t believe women should have to pay private fees to feel safe and have a non-traumatic experience. However, she said it is unfortunately the reality that years of underinvestment.

She said that while the principle of equal access to medical care is admirable, she believes maternity care is unique.

“I feel that you have used bullying tactics in your interaction with the Rotunda. You prioritised your ego in your quest for a political victory. What are you planning to do in the immediate future to improve the level of care offered in the public maternity system and to make women feel secure in the care that they receive in the absence of private care?” asked this person. 

While the majority of the correspondence over three days was critical of the health minister, one member of the public said they respected Carroll MacNeill showing “backbone”, stating that it is seldom you see ministers following through on policy.

She said the minister could rest assured she has her vote. 

Another member of the public wrote to the health minister, stating that while they do not object to the principle of Sláintecare, they believe maternity care should be an exception because there is no private maternity hospital in the country. 

“This is not about fairness, this is about choice, and the government respecting my choice. Many friends and neighbours feel the same way,” she said.

She noted that many women pay to go private, adding:

I am sure many of them would be natural Fine Gael voters.

She questioned why people would continue to vote for Fine Gael when this government “ignores our concerns”. 

“I listened to your radio interview last week and you didn’t give one good reason why there should not be a derogation for maternity care to be allowed to be practised privately in public hospitals,” wrote another. 

They noted that people will have a choice to go to a private cardiologist or oncologist in the future but not an obstetrician.

She asked why a derogation cannot be given to maternity care, noting that the minister said that everyone should have consultant-led continuity of care if they wish. 

This woman said that will never become a reality for all women, adding that in the meantime a reduction of care will happen across the public system.

“The government has continually let down the people and the women of Ireland; this will be no different,” they said, adding, “right now, you have lost a voter for life.”

One emailer said they had never written to a politician or minister, but they wanted to voice their concerns, calling the change a “travesty”. 

They said women should have the right to choose private healthcare during their pregnancy, just as a man with a prostate issue has the right to choose to be treated in a private hospital.

“For far too long this country has failed to protect women and our right to access to the appropriate healthcare – this has to stop,” they said. 

Another said:

You are on the wrong side of this and the wrong side of women. 

They said the health minister should be advocating for women, “instead you are failing us”.  

One email to the Tánaiste urged Harris to intervene. “I am asking you to look at this issue and find a solution that works for women and does not take away their choice. All the progressive social steps that Fine Gael-led while in government this is so backward and it is so disappointing to see Irish women treated like this,” they said. 

A letter written to TD Maeve O’Connell was passed on to the minister’s office.

This person said they were deeply disappointed with Fine Gael’s stance on phasing out private maternity care, stating that they were previously a supporter of the party.

They explained they are in the higher tax bracket and believe that individuals should retain the freedom to choose the model of care that best suits their circumstances, including private maternity care. 

They said the suggestion that private maternity care is a luxury for those who wish to skip the queue fails to recognise the importance many women place on continuity of care, consultant-led services and the ability to make informed choices about their pregnancy and birth experience.

“Restricting access to existing maternity care options is not, in my view, progress.
While I have always voted for Fine Gael in previous elections, this issue has caused me to seriously reconsider my future voting intentions. I know many people in similar circumstances who feel the same and Fine Gael’s failure to listen to what women actually want, will have consequences,” they concluded. 

Since the controversy has erupted with private care, an advocacy group, ‘Our Maternity Choice’, has been established and is lobbying for the preservation of private care. The group has launched a petition which has gathered nearly 8,000 signatures.