Future of National Maternity Hospital Plans in Question after St Vincent’s Group Announce Review
By Ryan McBride
PLANS for the National Maternity Hospital are in doubt after it was revealed tonight that the Board of St Vincent’s Healthcare Group will be reviewing the status of the project. The Sisters of Charity own the area at St Vincent’s Hospital, where the new maternity hospital is set to be built.
They are yet to pay ˆ3million owed to the State as part of the redress scheme following an inquiry into child abuse by the Catholic Church. The chairperson of St Vincent’s Healthcare Group, Jimmy Menton, broke news of the review in a statement, which read: “On November 21, 2016, following six months of intensive discussions chaired by Mr. Kieran Mulvey (former CEO of the Workplace Relations Commission), St Vincent’s Healthcare Group and the National Maternity Hospital (NMH) signed a comprehensive agreement providing for the corporate and clinical governance arrangements for the future operation of a new maternity hospital, called ‘The National Maternity Hospital at Elm Park DAC’. “That agreement was publicly endorsed and welcomed by both the Minister for Health, Deputy Simon Harris, and the Taoiseach, Deputy Enda Kenny, at a press briefing that evening in Government Buildings. “In view of the controversy and misinformation that has arisen in recent times regarding the project, and the views expressed by the Minister for Health and other members of the Oireachtas, the board of St Vincent’s Healthcare Group will review the status of the project in light of the current situation.
“Pending this review, the Board does not intend to make any further comment.” In 2013, The Sisters of Charity announced along with three other religious congregations they would not be contributing to the State Redress scheme for women who had suffered abuses whilst in the Magdalene Laundries. This comes after a petition to block the Sisters of Charity’s sole ownership of the new National Maternity Hospital soared to over 80,000 signatures. The online protest was set up after Health Minister Simon Harris announced the Sisters of Charity would become the sole owner of the new ˆ300million state funded facility.
Minister Harris stated the hospital would be independent and the religious charity would have no influence on decision making. He said in a statement: “The identity and ethos of the current NMH (National Maternity Hospital) will be retained. “The new company will have clinical and operational independence in the provision of maternity, gynaecology and neonatal services, without religious, ethnic or other distinction, as well as financial and budgetary independence.’ Following Mr Menton’s statement tonight, a Department of Health spokesperson said: “The Minister outlined his position very clearly on this yesterday and remains fully committed to this hugely important project and long overdue state of the art hospital for the provision of maternity services to women and babies in this country.
“The Minister is pleased that NMH and SVHG have agreed to work together to bring this about and he looks forward to working with all stakeholders to deliver this new National Maternity Hospital. “The Minister is confident that the criteria which he has identified will be met as the project proceeds, subject to planning approval, through the various development stages. “Further stages of the process involve the Minister discharging his duties with various parties by putting in place appropriate legal mechanisms. “This will include arrangements to secure the State’s interest, which apply in all capital projects on voluntary hospital sites to protect the State’s investment.
|
.
Any original material on these pages is copyright © BishopAccountability.org 2004. Reproduce freely with attribution.