Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 19 December 2018
405. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Question No. 125 of 13 December 2018, the legal entity of St. Vincent's Healthcare Group with which he is negotiating in respect of the ownership and operation of the proposed new national maternity hospital; if this entity comprises an organisation (details supplied); and if its corporate status and ownership has changed since May 2017. [53902/18]
Amharc ar fhreagra406. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Health the proposed board for the new national maternity hospital; the number of members; the nominating bodies; if the board will include a public interest director; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53903/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 405 and 406 together.
Considerable work has been undertaken to develop a legal framework to protect the State’s significant investment in the new hospital.
St Vincent's Healthcare Group has confirmed the process by which the Religious Sisters of Charity will transfer their shareholding and withdraw from the St Vincent's Healthcare Group. I have been assured that the constitution of the new St Vincent's Holdings CLG will not be faith based and will be in compliance with national and international best practice guidelines on medical ethics and the laws of Ireland.
The overall framework being put in place will, unequivocally, copper-fasten the principle that patient care in the new hospital will be delivered without religious, ethnic or other distinction, and that any relevant medical procedure, which is in accordance with the laws of the land, will be carried out at the new hospital.
In line with the Mulvey Agreement, the Board of the proposed National Maternity Hospital at Elm Park DAC will comprise 9 directors; 4 nominated by SVHG, 4 by NMH, and 1 will be an international expert in obstetrics and gynaecology. At my request, both the NMH and the St Vincent's Healthcare Group have agreed that the Board of the new NMH DAC will be competency based and will include a Public Interest representative.
