New Maternity Hospital must be in public ownership

Issued : Thursday 22 November, 2018

Labour Spokesperson on Health, Alan Kelly TD, has reiterated his opposition to the National Maternity Hospital being run with a Catholic ethos, or under the influence of any religious order.


Commenting today Deputy Kelly said:


"The new National Maternity Hospital at St. Vincent’s will be a publically funded maternity hospital and as such should be managed free of any overriding religious ethos which may influence the type of care provided to patients.


“I have been opposed to the involvement of a religious order in the running of this new National Maternity Hospital since news of the deal first emerged, and have long argued that a hospital built and paid for by the State must remain in public ownership.


“At the time I called on the Minister for Health to consider bringing in legislation, if necessary, to initiate a compulsory order for the site to ensure this. I am still concerned that this will not be the case with the new facility, and these issues need to be addressed by the Department of Health.


"In light of recent legislation which is before the Oireachtas to regulate abortion, a part of reproductive healthcare which will have to be offered in Irish hospitals, it is important that we ensure there are no barriers put in place to care."

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