If men gave birth, male medical personnel, administrators and politicians would ensure that the whole process of labour and delivery was as pain free and stress free as possible, it was claimed in the Dail.
Fine Gael's Health spokesman, Mr Alan Shatter, accused the Minister for Health of "shoddy treatment" of pregnant women, particularly in Sligo General Hospital where epidural anaesthesia was available on only five days out of seven.
Women who went into labour and arrived at the hospital expecting an epidural might "draw the short straw in the epidural lottery", he said. An average of 106 babies were born every month in Sligo, but how many were able to avail of an epidural, he asked.
The Minister of State for Health, Ms Mary Hanafin, said the issue was a matter for the North Western Health Board in the first instance. She was aware of recent difficulties in the epidural service at Sligo General Hospital. The board was satisfied that all anaesthetic posts would be filled from July.
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