Opposition concerns on NMH 'no longer sustainable'

'I think the most important aspect of this, from my perspective now, is that we get the modern that facility for women into the future that they can have all services provided, but in a proper modern high-quality facility.' Picture: Gareth Chaney Collins

The Taoiseach says opposition concerns about the deal on the National Maternity Hospital are “no longer sustainable”.

The Government has delayed a deal that would see the land at St Vincent’s Hospital, Dublin, leased to the State for 299 years, in order to allay public concerns by publishing the legal framework documents.

Micheál Martin said the guarantee that all services, including terminations, would be carried out in the hospital has answered any concerns people have.

“We're getting this site for 300 years at a tenner a year. That's the deal,” he said.

“It has to operate in accordance with that licence, has to provide all of the services. I don't believe any longer that those concerns are sustainable. My view was pretty clear that all those services will be provided. There is no doubt about that.”

The Taoiseach added that “essentially” the hospital is and would be State-owned, despite the land not being owned by the State, but leased to it by Saint Vincent's Holding Group. 

“I think the most important aspect of this, from my perspective now, is that we get the modern that facility for women into the future that they can have all services provided, but in a proper modern high-quality facility.

All of the issues that were raised, that people had concerns about, which I understand — Would all services be provided legally for this purpose provided for in legislation? The answer is unequivocally yes."

The Taoiseach said there were multi-layered legal guarantees that have been provided both in the constitution of the hospital and the operating licence the HSE is granting to the hospital and the higher number of directors representing the public interest on the board.

“In terms of the minister's golden share ensuring that the minister reserves powers, there are many, many guarantees there.

"What is really urgent also, is that we get a modern facility to replace what are unacceptable conditions in Holles Street,” Mr Martin added.

'No guarantee CPO would succeed'

Meanwhile, Health Minister Stephen Donnelly has said the Government has received legal advice that there is no guarantee a compulsory purchase order (CPO) of the land earmarked for the new National Maternity Hospital site would be successful.

Speaking to reporters in Dublin, Mr Donnelly said he had received "clear" advice from the Attorney General that there was "absolutely no guarantee that a CPO would succeed".

"We would need to show that we need to own the land, I would imagine that St Vincent's, or indeed the courts would say 'Well you do own the land for the next 300 years'.

"So there is no guarantee that it would succeed."

Mr Donnelly also said the plan to co-locate the National Maternity Hospital  at a site at St Vincent's in Dublin is meant to be "a partnership", and that this partnership may be complicated or abandoned due to legal proceedings required to compulsorily purchase the land.

Of 19 maternity hospitals or units across the country, 11 are providing termination of pregnancy services and eight are not.

"The eight maternity settings that are not providing full abortion services are HSE hospitals, and not voluntary hospitals, Mr Donnelly said.

"In fact, it was the voluntary hospitals that really led the way on this."