Health Minister Simon Harris favours hospital patrons review

Health Minister Simon Harris is keen to begin a review of the ownership and patronage of dozens of hospitals across the country as he feels it is time to settle the wider issue of the Church-State relationship, senior government sources have said.

It is understood that the Department of Health is considering a review of the ownership and religious patronage of hospitals similar to the schools patronage and divestment reforms in the wake of the scandal engulfing the national maternity hospital.

Should the hospital patronage review suggestion be acted upon, it could potentially affect a large number of hospitals across the country, including the St Vincent’s and the Mater Hospitals in Dublin and the Mercy University Hospital in Cork.