IRELAND
Irish Times
Paul Cullen
Minister for Health Simon Harris has promised key protections against possible “religious interference” will be put in place before the move of the National Maternity Hospital to St Vincent’s goes ahead.
Mr Harris rejected claims that the Sisters of Charity, who will own the new facility through their ownership of St Vincent’s, have been “gifted” the hospital or that they will be running it.
The Sisters of Charity will lose out by making “very valuable” land available to the State for free, he pointed out. “In doing so, they have foregone the opportunity to put this land to alternative use.”
While acknowledging “legitimate questions and opinions” have been voiced since it emerged that the Sisters of Charity would own the new €300 million hospital, Mr Harris said he was committed to protecting to “absolutely protecting” public health policy, taxpayers’ money and the State.
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