Timeline needed for public ownership of NMH

Labour Senator Ivana Bacik has called on the Minister for Health to provide a timeline for resolving the public ownership of the new National Maternity Hospital. In the interest of transparency and clarity, the Labour Dublin Bay South by-election candidate has previously submitted FOI requests to the HSE and Department of Health in order to establish what efforts have been made to date to ensure that the hospital is kept independent and in public ownership.

Senator Bacik said:

“Last week, I called on the Minister for Health to outline what has happened and when regarding negotiations with the Sisters of Charity on the purchasing of the proposed NMH site. I have also submitted FOI requests to determine the level of commitment this Government really has to delivering an independent, secular, publicly owned national maternity hospital.

“Historically, we have long had church and religious control exercised over our healthcare and education institutions in this country. Now, the new National Maternity Hospital has to be wholly publicly owned, and clearly independent of any religious or church ethos.

"I was glad to attend the protest outside Leinster House and to add my voice to those calling for the provision of a timeline by the Government to resolve this issue and commit to placing the site into public ownership.

"I have also secured a debate in the Seanad with Health Minister Stephen Donnelly for next Friday morning. On that date I propose to put a series of key questions to the Minister with the aim of establishing the Government's commitment to delivering an independent public hospital for the women of Ireland."