Cabinet seeks 'outright ownership' of NMH site as sisters seek to retain it

The issue is to be debated in the Dáil on Wednesday

Pictured, foreground, is the Dermatology Department of St Vincent's University Hospital – this building currently occupies the site of the new National Maternity Hospital (NMH). This evening, St Vincent's Hospital Group rejected calls for the Government to purchase the site in order to ensure the NMH is fully publicly owned. Picture: Sasko Lazarov / RollingNews.ie

The Cabinet was told today that “outright ownership” of the site upon which the new National Maternity Hospital will be built was the optimal solution, just as the St Vincent’s Hospital Group (SVHG) said it must retain ownership of the land.

In a statement, the group said it is “more than willing” to meet the Government to discuss the relocation of the hospital from Holles Street.

Protestors from the Repeal the Eighth movement outside Leinster House last month, calling on Health Minister Stephen Donnelly to ensure the National Maternity Hospital will be fully secular, and will be under no Church control. Picture: Sasko Lazarov / RollingNews.ie

However, it added that “for the delivery of integrated patient care on the Elm Park Campus, SVHG must retain ownership of the site”.

Health Minister Stephen Donnelly won approval from Cabinet not to oppose a Social Democrats motion relating to the National Maternity Hospital, which will be debated in the Dáil tomorrow.

Mr Donnelly told the Cabinet he is committed to the development of a new National Maternity Hospital on the St Vincent’s campus, subject to the successful conclusion of negotiations.

Safer care for women

The health minister will highlight in the Dáil that co-location with St Vincent’s will ensure safer care for women, rapid access to adult services. 

Planning permission was secured in 2017 and a full business case has been completed in support of the development.

Substantial enabling works have been undertaken on the campus on foot of a 2018 cabinet memo.

Governance and ownership issues have proven complex, given both the National Maternity Hospital and St Vincents are voluntary hospitals providing services on behalf of the HSE. 

Ministers were told today that work is ongoing on a draft framework which seeks to address the ownership and governance with the State’s key objectives being:

• To ensure all clinically appropriate services that are legally permissible are provided for women in this hospital.
• To prevent any undue influence, religious or otherwise, in the operation of the new hospital.
• To protect the State’s interest in the capital and revenue perspective

While outright ownership is the optimal solution, the minister has formally asked the SVHG to consider a site transfer. However, in 2017 SVHG refused to transfer the site.

Mr Donnelly told colleagues no religious ethos will be brought to bear in the provision of healthcare at the hospital.

The Sisters of Charity have Vatican approval to transfer the site to the new charitable entity, St Vincent’s Holdings CLG.