National Maternity Hospital

Thursday, 31 March 2022

Questions (53, 100, 101, 416)

Duncan Smith

Question:

53. Deputy Duncan Smith asked the Minister for Health if an update as of March 2022 will be provided on the delivery of the new national maternity hospital; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16979/22]

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Bríd Smith

Question:

100. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Health the legal advice he has received in relation to the proposed national maternity hospital that any proposed agreement with a private entity can be described as representing unbreakable legal stipulations; when the proposals will go to the HSE; when the memo to Cabinet will be finalised; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17060/22]

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David Cullinane

Question:

101. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health the status of plans regarding the relocation of the national maternity hospital; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16801/22]

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Bernard Durkan

Question:

416. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Health the progress towards the provision of the new maternity hospital; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17272/22]

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Written answers

Minister for Health

I propose to take Questions Nos. 53, 100, 101 and 416 together.

The Government is committed to the development of the new National Maternity Hospital (NMH) planned for the St Vincent’s University Hospital Campus at Elm Park, as set out in the Programme for Government. The Government is also aware of the concerns that have been raised regarding ownership and governance of the new NMH, and recognises that these matters must be addressed.

The proposed corporate and clinical governance arrangements for the new NMH were set out in the Mulvey Agreement, that provides for the establishment of a new company - National Maternity Hospital at Elm Park DAC - which will have clinical and operational, as well as financial and budgetary, independence in the provision of maternity, gynaecology and neonatal services.

The draft legal framework subsequently developed, with the support of legal advisers, is designed to copperfasten these arrangements and will address both the ownership and governance of the new hospital, in order to:

- ensure that all clinically appropriate and legally permissible services will be available in the new NMH;

- prevent any undue influence, religious or otherwise, on the operation of the new hospital; and

- safeguard the State’s significant investment in the hospital.

There is a process ongoing to finalise the legal arrangements and the HSE is a key part of that process. I will not bring any proposal on ownership and governance of the new National Maternity Hospital to Government unless it provides assurances around full healthcare for women being provided there in line with the objectives I have set out above.