The statement from the Irish Nurses and Midwives Association last week that nurses working in the maternity unit at Waterford Regional Hospital were under fierce pressure due to understaffing made very worrying reading indeed. Apparently, they are down eight midwives due to people not being replaced because of the government ban on recruitment.

We all know that things are tough and everybody lucky enough to have a job is having to worker harder and longer for less money but, for God’s sake, have we come to a point where the squeeze is affecting pregnant mothers and their infants.