Annie Hoey (Labour) | Oireachtas source

This is not a reflection on the Minister's negotiating skills but is he absolutely confident the guarantees are watertight to the point that abortion services, for example, would be available on the site? Currently, nearly half of maternity hospitals still do not provide abortion services and they are supposed to be under State ownership. I am sure the Minister can understand why there is so much deep concern that, despite the best will in the world, we are still going to continue to have a situation whereby, if the land remains in the ownership of the group, there will somehow be a way to curtail or prevent certain procedures from happening on what will be an extraordinarily expensive but very worthwhile investment. I am sure the Minister can understand how concerned people are, given that half the maternity hospitals currently do not provide services.