The Health Minister says he has “cause for concern” after meeting two widowers whose wives died after childbirth.

Leo Varadkar met Michael Kivlehan and Sean Rowlette this afternoon to discuss the care given to their wives at Sligo Regional Hospital.

The Minister says his Department will now begin work on a new national strategy to map out maternity services for decades to come.

Michael Kivlehan and Sean Rowlette said they want the HSE to “learn the lessons” from their wives care at Sligo Regional Hospital.

Speaking after today’s meeting, Leo Varadkar said their cases give him “cause for concern” as Health Minister - but he said Ireland’s maternity care is on a par with the rest of the western world.

He said the chance to hear Mr Kivlehan and Mr Rowlette’s personal perspectives was very useful - as his Department is now working on a long-term national maternity strategy which will map out the road ahead on the matter for what he said would be “decades to come”.

Mr Kivlehan's wife Dhara died in Belfast as a result of multi-organ failure nine days after giving birth to their son in Sligo in 2010, while Mr Rowlette's wife Sally died at Sligo Regional one day after giving birth to her fourth child.

Both say the HSE must learn the lessons of the cases and they want Mr Varadkar to make sure measures are introduced to improve the safety of maternity care.

Mr Rowlette says medical staff should be held more accountable for what they do.

While Mr Kivlehan says it is not just about the two cases - but about reassuring all women and their partners that they will be safe.

The meeting is due to take place later this afternoon.