Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 11 October 2018
131. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Health the status of the Mulvey report with regard to the ownership and governance of the proposed new national maternity hospital (details supplied); and the way in which he plans to proceed in order to address both of these issues. [41684/18]
View answer132. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Health the reason the proposed new national maternity hospital will not be a State-run hospital; and the reason there is a need for the involvement of a voluntary organisation. [41685/18]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 131 and 132 together.
The Mulvey agreement provides for the establishment of a new company - "The National Maternity Hospital at Elm Park DAC (limited by shares)” - to operate the new maternity hospital. Considerable work has been undertaken to develop a legal framework to protect the State's considerable investment in the new hospital and to provide the State with appropriate oversight arrangements; it is hoped to conclude this work shortly.
I can assure the Deputy that care in the new maternity hospital will be delivered without religious, ethnic or other distinction and any medical procedure which is in accordance with the laws of the land will be carried out there.
More broadly, the Deputy will be aware that the Government has established an independent review group to examine the role of voluntary organisations in the operation of health and personal social services in Ireland. The terms of reference provide for:
- An examination of current arrangements across the health and social care sector;
- Consideration of issues currently arising, and those likely to arise in the future;
- Recommendations on how the relationship between the State and voluntary organisations should evolve in the future.
The Minister expects to receive the Group's final report shortly.
