Maternity hospital: Religious Sisters of Charity to transfer hospital lands to State

The Religious Sisters of Charity is to transfer hospital lands worth some €200m to the State - removing a key barrier to the construction of the National Maternity Hospital

The Religious Sisters of Charity is to transfer hospital lands worth some €200m to a new independent body - removing a key barrier to the construction of the National Maternity Hospital.

The congregation confirmed it has received approval from the Holy See to transfer ownership of the St Vincent’s Healthcare Group to a new, independent, charitable body to be called St Vincent’s Holdings CLG.

As part of the transfer it is to "gift" the associated land. It said it hoped the transfer "can now be concluded without undue delays".

St Vincent’s Holdings CLG will continue to be a “not for profit” organisation. In the event of the new body going into liquidation, its surplus assets will be vested with the Charity Regulator and used for future healthcare purposes with similar values, to benefit the people of Ireland.

The Religious Sisters of Charity stepped down from the Board of St Vincent’s Hospital Group in 2017 amidst growing controversy over its involvement in the new hospital which is to move from its current location in Holles Street in Dublin to the St Vincent's Hospital campus.

In line with Canon Law, formal approval for the decision to complete the transfer of ownership had to be sought from the Holy See in Rome and has now been approved.

Superior General of the Religious Sisters of Charity Sr Patricia Lenihan said the move marked the completion of all legal, financial and regulatory matters involved in the transfer.

“We thank everyone who has supported us in recent years as we formalise the final steps towards our departure from St Vincent’s Healthcare Group and hope that the transfer can now swiftly move to completion.

"We are confident that the St Vincent’s Healthcare Group Board, management and staff will continue to provide acute healthcare services that foster Mary Aikenhead’s mission and core values of dignity, compassion, justice, equality and advocacy for all into the future," she said.

Health minister Simon Harris welcomed the transfer as "an extraordinary gift" that will remove "any remaining concerns that a religious influence might be brought to bear on the governance of the new National Maternity Hospital".

"The announcement will also pave the way for the finalisation of the legal framework which will protect the State’s investment in the new hospital and ensure that the new National Maternity Hospital will have clinical and operational, as well as financial and budgetary independence in the provision of maternity, gynaecology and neonatal services," he said.

Social Democrats co-leader Róisín Shortall has welcomed the decision but said it was regrettable the decision had taken so long.