The HSE says restrictions on access for partners of pregnant women to maternity units are still necessary for most routine antenatal visits.
It has published new guidance stating access doesn't need to be limited once the woman is in a single-patient room.
But it says partners should be restricted to two-hour daily visits when the woman is in multi-bed areas due to limits on space.
According to the guidance, there's no evidence antigen testing would add to Covid risk reduction measures.
Linda Kelly from Better Maternity Care says the ongoing measures are causing huge distress.
Ms Kelly told Newstalk: “I think when we talk about restrictions on space, we're in a time in the pandemic when public transport has gone back to 100 per cent, if people can crowd on to buses and trains to get to their antenatal appointments then hospitals can facilite access at antenatal appointments.”
Vaccine passes
Meanwhile, a former master of the National Maternity Hospital says vaccine passes should be used to ease visitor restrictions to maternity units.
Peter Boylan, former master of the National Maternity Hospital, says antigen testing shouldn't be dismissed.
Mr Boylan said: “It has been very widely used in other countries [antigen testing] so it's disappointing but it's not surprising. More than 80 per cent of the adult population have been fully vaccinated. I think that's the way to go, to have vaccine passes would be a way to allow a little more visiting.”
