A GP in Monaghan says she and her colleagues are worried about the continuing instances of babies being delivered while in ambulances travelling to Cavan Hospital from Monaghan, a minimum distance of 38 miles.
Dr Illona Duffy was speaking after the ninth baby was born in this fashion at 5 a.m. on Wednesday half-way between Cavan and Monaghan. Dr Duffy also expressed concern at the delivery to GPs in the area of obstetric kits to assist births. She says this puts the onus on local GPs who are out of practice of delivering babies. "How many more births are there going to have to be on the side of the road, and how many more deaths are there going to have to be, of women in Monaghan or their babies on their way in an ambulance to seek medical treatment? Something has to be done."