Cabinet signs off on maternity hospital as Hourigan to be 'denied opportunity' to vote against government

The Government’s plan proposes to co-locate the new NMH at St Vincent’s Elm Park campus and to lease the land from St Vincent’s for 299 years at €10 per year, which the Government argues effectively amounts to ownership.

Concerns have been raised about the possibility of religious ethos interfering in decisions made at the new maternity hospital.

Confirming the approval of the legal framework for the NMH relocation, Health Minister Stephen Donnelly said that he is satisfied that any concerns have been addressed.

"There were concerns that access to essential healthcare services could potentially be restricted due to the religious beliefs or ethical code of the hospitals concerned," Mr Donnelly said.

"I am absolutely satisfied that this legal framework ensures this will not be the case and that all lawfully permissible services will be provided in the new NMH, as they are in the current NMH."

The legal framework has also been approved by the HSE Board as well as the Boards of the NMH and St Vincent’s Healthcare Group.

The Master of the maternity hospital, Shane Higgins, has welcomed the decision, saying it will come as a relief to the doctors, nurses and midwives at the NMH.

He added: "I want to again reassure those who have doubts or concerns that the NMH currently has no constraints on the procedures it offers patients, and this will continue when the hospital moves.

"The legal agreement that binds the hospital and its Directors categorically and explicitly constrains any religious ethos from having any role in the new NMH’s governance and operations."

'Bad day for Ireland'

Roisin Shortall, the co-leader of the Social Democrats said the decision to push ahead with the deal shows “that the last two weeks have been a charade".

"We were told that there was a pause in order to reflect on this, to consider the issues involved," said Ms Shorthall who added that issues were raised in good faith.  

"And unfortunately, the government hasn't acted in good faith because they haven't taken on board any of the issues, or any of the concerns raised within Leinster House and raised by many, many people, medical and legal experts and the general public. And that's really regrettable.

“I think today is a bad day for Ireland. I think it's a bad day for the taxpayer. It's a bad day for women's health. It's a bad day for the Public Health Service.

“And most of all, I think it's a bad day for accountability because the government has refused to account for the actions and statements.” 

She added: “You would have to question the Government's commitment now to Slaintecare. I mean, they talk the talk, it's their actions which are something entirely different.” 

Likewise, Sinn Fein’s David Cullinane says he does not believe the future of Irish healthcare is safe with the Government.

“We heard yesterday from the St Vincent's Healthcare Group pretty clearly that there was no meaningful engagement between them and government on the issue of ownership,” he said.

“The collective muscle of the state was not used or brought to bear in any talks whatsoever. So I think it's absolutely incredible, that all of that time has passed, and there was no legal effort made by the Minister for Health to push the use of land ownership. “

'Trust doesn't exist'

Green Party TD Neasa Hourigan will be “denied the opportunity” to vote against the government on the National Maternity Hospital, she has confirmed.

Ms Hourigan, who had planned to vote for the Sinn Féin motion calling for state ownership of state land for the new hospital, will no longer be called to as the government will not be opposing the motion.

This means the Dáil will symbolically, support the call for the government to secure "full public ownership of the site".

Ms Hourigan had publicly pled with the government to further pause the deal over concerns she had around transparency.

She said she had “heartfelt and genuine concern around the pushing through of this deal and ask that the cabinet pause this decision for further scrutiny”.

“All transactions are built on trust- trust that doesn't exist right now. That is not simply because of the St. Vincent's group involvement but also the highly corporate nature of this deal. My concerns are as much or more about land value and Slaintecare as Catholicism.”

Earlier, Eamon Ryan said Ms Hourigan should respect the wishes of her government colleagues over the National Maternity Hospital.

The Green Party leader said he “respects” the concerns of Ms Hourigan “but you also listen to other colleagues who say no, we shouldn’t pause” on the need for a new facility. 

“We listen to different voices and you respect those who don’t agree, but I believe we should proceed,” he said.

“There has been clarification in the last two weeks. That was good thing around that issue, what is clinically appropriate.

“At all times this was led by medics and often the same metrics such in female medics who le out in the repeal campaign saying this is the best approach.

“We should listen to them.

“We have to wait to see what Cabinet says. I think there's a lot of clarification in the last week so that was a good thing.” 

The NMH is currently located at Holles Street in Dublin city centre in a 130-year-old building that has been deemed no longer fit for purpose.

The new hospital is set to be co-located alongside St Vincent’s Hospital in the south of the city, but the previous ownership of the site by the Religious Sisters of Charity has led to concerns from some about the potential influence of a Catholic ethos within the new hospital and whether that would be compatible with the provision of services such as elective abortion.

St Vincent’s Healthcare Group recently completed the legal transfer of the Religious Sisters of Charity’s shareholding in the group to a new charitable company, St Vincent’s Holdings CLG.