"There Will Be Abortions': Master of Maternity Hospital Says They'll Be Entirely Independent

The Journal
April 26, 2017

http://www.thejournal.ie/national-maternity-hospital-defends-3358663-Apr2017/

Image: Niall Carson/PA Images

THE MASTER OF the National Maternity Hospital has defended the decision to relocate the new hospital on grounds owned by a religious order, saying that they will have complete control over medical procedures and governance.

On Morning Ireland today, Dr Rhona Mahony, Master of National Maternity Hospital Holles Street, said that the Sisters of Charity “will be an independent company”, and that they will retain their medical practices without religious interference.

It’s the board’s duty to do their best for women and babies. We will not mention any religious, ethnic or other distinction [in hospital governance].

“We will have the termination of pregnancy just as we do today. The nuns will not be involved.”

When asked about the clear dispute over governance, Dr Mahoney said they are the first of the co-locations, but that the integrity of their services and autonomy over them will be protected.

“This is a separate company and it is very likely that in time that there will be a lease arrangement, [ownership over the building is] a technical issue over land.”

This hospital will be entirely independent – it’s black and white agreement.

“The nuns do not want to run this hospital.”

It will be an independent hospital with an independent board. We will practice contraception, IVF, termination of pregnancy to save a woman’s life and in the future, we will expand services according to the law.

Boylan’s resignation

The board of the National Maternity Hospital are due to meet today. One of the board members, a former Master of the maternity hospital Dr Peter Boylan was asked to resign at the weekend after he voiced his concerns about the colocation.

This was decried as a silencing of opinion, but Mahony denies that was the reason, saying it was an issue of “corporate governance, not over opinion”.

First, the text was quite intimidating in the way it was sent. It’s also not usual to speak out after a majority vote.

She said that the vote to colocate with the Sisters of Charity was overwhelming: “25 voted in favour, one voted against and three abstentions”.

There was no division in the National Maternity Hospital in relation to this move. Peter Boylan might have voted against if he disagreed.

She added that the new maternity hospital was important: “We are practicing medicine in the 21 century in a hospital that is crumbling.”