The Master of one of the country's biggest maternity hospitals is warning there are nowhere near enough staff in the service to deal with our birth rates.

Dr Sam Coulter-Smith is appearing before the Oireachtas Health Committee.

He has warned that serious damage has been done in recent years with cuts of funding, while proper governance in all our hospital groups is not in place.

Dr Coulter-Smith, who is Master of the Rotunda, says there simply are not enough medical professionals in our maternity hospitals.

Plans are in place to move three of the country's largest maternity hospitals to new sites.

Earlier this year, a Health Service Executive (HSE) review into maternity services at Portlaoise, University Hospital Limerick and the Midland Regional Hospital recommended a full review of nine out of 28 cases.

The Master of the Coombe Hospital is also to appear before the committee.